


mors tua, vita mea

by climhazzard



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Time, Fix-It, Found Family, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Phone Sex, Shower Sex, alcohol as a plot device, but aerith did, i'm sorry aerith, zack doesn't die
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2018-12-16 01:33:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 52,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11818419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/climhazzard/pseuds/climhazzard
Summary: Zack was dead, that much Cloud knew for sure. He'd watched him die up on that cliff, bleeding out from countless bullet holes, and yet, here he was, right before his eyes.There were two more things that Cloud knew.One, he was dreaming.Two, he didn't want to wake up.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cloud meets someone he never thought he'd see again. tifa is skeptical.

7th Heaven had always been a lively place during the nighttime. 

The atmosphere was generally high-spirited, thanks to the usual crowd of people that turned up looking for a good time. Regular customers and newcomers alike were drawn to the bar's unique charm and unrivaled home cooking. 

Despite this, Cloud usually made a point to avoid the venue during its busiest hours. He preferred to keep to himself and remain in his own personal peace and quiet.

On this particular night, however, Cloud was feeling especially contemplative. Others might have even said what he was feeling was simply loneliness.

Nevertheless, he found himself perched on a stool up by the main bar with a stiff drink in hand. He was seated between two people whose faces he had seen around enough to recognize, but neither had a name to match. Cloud found that bothering with learning customers' names was often more of a hassle than it was worth- there were simply too many of them, and many of the people in question were likely too inebriated to remember ever having been introduced.

Cloud absently swirled the amber-colored liquid in his glass for a moment, then raised it to his lips and took a drink. He felt its trademark alcoholic warmth spread down his throat and settle in his stomach. 

It may not have been an easy night, but at least alcohol was a friend who would never let him down.

Drumming his fingertips on the countertop, Cloud allowed himself to become dead to the world for several moments, drowning out the sounds of clinking glasses, louder-than-necessary chatter and Barret's roaring laughter from the back corner of the bar.

Tifa's voice snapped him back to reality. "Is everything all right, Cloud?" she asked, fixing a drink for one of the customers seated beside Cloud. "You don't seem like yourself tonight." 

"It's nothing," answered Cloud, which was true. He really wasn't feeling much of anything at that moment. 

Lifting his glass, Cloud realized that he must have finished his drink off without paying attention. He slid the glass in Tifa's direction. "Hey, top me off, will you?" 

Tifa gave Cloud a worried look, but fulfilled his request all the same. "You want something to eat?" she proposed, propping herself up against the counter. 

"I'm fine." Cloud dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "Thanks, though."

Tifa placed a hand on her hip. "You really should try to eat something," she advised. "Drinking on an empty stomach will just make you feel sick."

"Really, it's okay." Cloud didn't budge, brushing off Tifa's motherly lecture.

Tifa sighed. "I'm going over to talk with Barret and the others," she told him. "You should join us."

"I'll think about it." Cloud attempted a smile, which he realized probably looked pretty pathetic.

Tifa raised an eyebrow, then turned on her heel and stepped out from behind the counter, joining the rest of Cloud's friends on the other side of the bar. 

Cloud cast a glance over in the direction that Tifa had gone. He noticed Barret sitting over at a far table, joined by Cid, Reno, and Rude. In the very corner of the building, Cloud spotted a red-cloaked figure leaning up against the wall, which he assumed to be Vincent. He didn't contribute much to the conversation, but appeared to be listening intently.

A genuine smile spread across Cloud's face at the sight of his friends carrying on. He glanced at his drink, still mostly full, and decided to finish the rest of it outside. Sneaking out the back door, Cloud slipped into the dark, taking a seat on the back steps and momentarily escaping the cacophony that remained inside.

Cloud took a deep breath, tasting the sweetness of the clean nighttime air. There was a slightly metallic scent floating on the breeze- _rain_ , he thought.

He recalled the original 7th Heaven, nestled in the Sector 7 slums back when they still existed, before Meteorfall. The air in the slums was constantly stale, trapped underneath the prison of the Plate. Although he missed the original location out of nostalgia, Cloud had long since decided that he definitely liked this venue far better than the slums.

Gazing up at the stars, Cloud briefly pondered all the things that had been, and all the things that could be.

* * *

Tifa was keeping a close eye on Cloud from across the bar, not worried about being caught staring because he seemed too preoccupied to notice. He hadn't been acting like his usual self lately, and she was admittedly worried for him. He was starting to sink back into his old habits of disappearing without warning and being impossible to contact until he would return.

It hurt Tifa to see her oldest friend in pain, but no matter how many times she tried, she knew Cloud wasn't going to open up to her. He'd always done a spectacular job of keeping to himself, even when he and Tifa were children. It was just the way he was, and Tifa had grown to accept it.

But still, she worried. Cloud had been turning to drink more often lately than he ever had in the past- something about his distaste for mind-altering substances had always turned him off to alcohol. Tifa guessed that Cloud’s aversion was largely due to his not one, but two nearly fatal cases of mako poisoning a couple of years back, but knew better than to ask. 

Tifa suspected that he was struggling with depression again. In her own experience, it was livable most of the time, but could be downright miserable for the rest. Cloud seemed to be falling in the latter category lately.

Even in their world, where magic was the best form of treatment money could buy, Tifa knew that there were some holes even materia couldn't fill.

Most of the time, though, Cloud did seem happy. Marlene and Denzel always seemed to lift his spirits when he was home with Tifa. Sometimes, after watching the way he interacted with the children, Tifa thought he even seemed like a father. She was certain that if he ever decided to settle down, Cloud would make an excellent parent. But he'd never really expressed much interest in starting a family of his own. After all, he didn't need to- the one he had found him all on its own.

Tifa, Cloud, Marlene, and Denzel. One big, happy, dysfunctional family. 

Finally deciding that Cloud would be fine left on his own, Tifa left her post behind the bar, joining the rest of her friends. She really did hope Cloud would come around and talk with them, at least for a while. It would be good for him. The rest were concerned for him, too. He'd been more quiet than usual, and Tifa couldn't say for sure, but he looked as if he'd lost a little weight. He didn't look outwardly ill, as he had been while affected with geostigma, but Cloud was definitely not well.

The bright-eyed boy that left Nibelheim nine years before had never returned. In his place returned a troubled, distant man.

Tifa could only hope that Cloud could manage to find whatever was left of that boy deep inside of him.

* * *

 

Closing time came around, leaving Tifa to tend to the mess that had been left behind. Normally, when Cloud was around, she would scold him until he agreed to help. But tonight she sensed that he was tired, so she let him off easy. Tifa guessed that by now he was already asleep upstairs, in the loft bedroom that he had claimed as his own.

Tifa tidied up in silence for a while, the sounds of rain hitting the rooftop providing a soundtrack of sorts to her work. Her solitude was unexpectedly interrupted by the front door opening and someone stepping inside, which reminded Tifa that she'd forgotten to lock the door.

"I'm sorry, but we're closed for the night," she said, not looking up from the table she was currently wiping down. "You can come back in the-"

She stopped talking once she got a good look at the young man who had just entered.

The hopeful customer had dark, manelike hair - a lock of which was plastered to his face by the rain- broad shoulders, a scar on the left side of his face, and the trademark luminescent eyes of a SOLDIER. And to Tifa, he seemed very, very familiar.

"I know you," she said, setting down the cloth she was using to clean and making her way over to the newcomer.

"And I know you," he replied, cocking his head slightly. A hint of an accent was detectable in his voice, suggesting he was from the southern part of the continent. "You're the guide girl, from Nibelheim...Tifa, right?"

"Yeah..." Tifa tried to jog her memory for a name. "You were from SOLDIER...you came to Nibelheim...with Sephiroth, and Cloud, and you-"

"Cloud?" The name seemed to stir something in this man. "Do you know where to find him?"

"He's just upstairs," Tifa informed him. "But I think he's sleeping. You should come back in the morning."

The man who Tifa still couldn't quite put a name to seemed disappointed at being turned away, but obeyed anyway. "Well," he said, turning back towards the door, "let him know his old buddy Zack finally made it out here to see him."

Tifa froze. "Zack?"

Zack let go of the doorknob, looking over his shoulder. "That's right," he affirmed, sporting a wide grin.

His expression was quickly transformed into one of shock as he was slammed- with a surprising amount of force- against the heavy wooden door.

"Listen," Tifa snarled, taking fistfuls of Zack's shirt. "I don't know who you think you are, trying to play sick games like this, but the Zack you claim to be? He's dead. Has been for close to three years now. So if you don't want any trouble, I would suggest that you leave. Now."

"Tifa." Zack gently closed his hands around Tifa's wrists, feeling her let up on her iron grip of his shirt. "It's a long story, but it's really me. I can explain everything, if you just let me."

Tifa backed off, crossing her arms. "How am I supposed to believe that you're not lying to me?"

"Give me your hand," Zack requested.

Skeptically, Tifa did as she was told.

"Good, now point your finger for me."

Zack took Tifa's hand and pressed her finger against her stomach. "You've got a scar," he stated, simply. "From here..." He began tracing a line across her abdomen through the fabric her shirt. "To here."

He let go of Tifa's hand. "Sephiroth gave it to you. I found you after he got the drop on you, all cut open on the ground. Only the real Zack would know that- I was the only one there. 'Course, besides you."

Tifa looked up at Zack, who had a hand on his hip, seeking her confirmation. "I guess you're right," she admitted, face now hot with embarrassment from her unnecessary outburst. "Sorry for all that."

Zack shook his head. "No, that just means you're a good friend."

Friend. Cloud's friend.

Cloud.

Tifa turned so quickly that she almost stumbled, dashing off towards the stairs. "I'll go get Cloud," she called. "Don't leave."

Zack nodded his affirmation, walking over to the bar and seating himself on a stool.

If one thing was for certain, he sure would have a lot of catching up to do.

* * *

 

"Cloud?"

Tifa's voice stirred Cloud from a deep slumber. He attempted a reply, but all he could manage was a muffled "mmmf."

"Cloud," Tifa repeated, more firmly. "There's someone here who wants to see you."

Cloud opened his eyes, sitting up. "At this hour?" he asked, exasperatedly. "If it's a client, tell them it can wait until morning."

"No..." Tifa's face revealed nothing. "I just... really think you should come downstairs, Cloud." She turned to leave, stopping in the doorway. "And take that with you," she said, the empty glass that Cloud had brought with him. "I'm doing dishes."

She descended the stairs at a suspiciously fast pace, which hinted that there was definitely something important happening downstairs.

Snatching up his empty glass, Cloud rose, leaving the small bedroom and walking down the stairs.

"Can I get you something to drink?" he heard Tifa offer the stranger. "Or some food? It'd really be no problem."

Cloud reached for the door handle to enter the bar, but stopped cold in his tracks when he heard a voice that he never thought he would hear again.

"I don't need anything, but thanks," the stranger said, in the familiar upbeat tones of Zack Fair.

Cloud's mouth went dry. He was almost afraid to open the door...afraid that somehow, if he went any farther, that he would wake up. After all, he must have been dreaming.

But he made himself do it anyway.

There, sitting at the bar of 7th Heaven, five feet in front of him, was Zack Fair, in the flesh.

Cloud jumped at the sound of something shattering, and realized he'd let his grip on the glass he'd taken down with him go slack. He let his now empty hand fall to his side, staring in complete disbelief at Zack.

The silence in the room was deafening, leaving Cloud's ears ringing. Even the talkative Zack found himself at a loss for words for once.

Zack slowly got to his feet. "It's been a while."

Cloud faced his fears and took a tentative step, pushing forward.

"Zack...?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, i'm back at it with a new fic for a new fandom! i've been nursing this idea for some time now and i'm going to do the best i can to bring it to life.
> 
> a little translator's note on the title: "mors tua, vita mea" means "your death, my life." this is in reference to cloud adapting zack's persona after zack dies. i don't think i could have found a better quote to fit these two.
> 
> kudos/comments are appreciated as always! and feel free to find me on twitter or tumblr as somnusu1tima, i'm pretty active on there.
> 
> i hope you enjoyed the first chapter! things are gonna be busy for me with moving back to school soon but i'll try to bust out another chapter soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cloud comes to terms with zack's alive-ness, and zack gets to meet the rest of cloud's group.

Looking at Zack made Cloud feel almost like he had when he'd been suffering from mako poisoning- unable to move or speak. He couldn't find a single thing to say that would make even a fraction of sense.

"You're dead," he finally managed. "Shinra...they killed you. I saw it."

Cloud inched forward, still scared to get too close out of fear that a wrong move would bring his visit with Zack to an end.

"Why don't you sit down," Zack suggested, concerned about the lack of color in Cloud's face. He looked as if he could keel over any second.

Cloud silently seated himself at the bar, refusing to make eye contact with Zack.

Zack was dead, that much Cloud knew for sure. He'd watched him die up on that cliff, bleeding out from countless bullet holes, and yet, here he was, right before his eyes.

There were two more things that Cloud knew.

One, he was dreaming.

Two, he didn't want to wake up.

"How are you here?" Cloud asked, staring daggers at the countertop. "You're supposed to be dead, Zack."

"Someone's certainly thrilled to see me," Zack said, trying to lighten the mood. When his attempt fell flat, he adopted a more serious tone. "You remember Cissnei?" he asked, cautiously seating himself beside Cloud.

"Cissnei..." Cloud repeated. "The girl from the Turks?"

"Yeah." Zack nodded. "Well, turns out she and Tseng were looking for us that day. They didn't find either of us before Shinra got to me, and...well, you know the rest."

Zack's tone suddenly shifted to one of wonder. "I saw it, Cloud," he stated, reverently.

"Saw...what?"

"The Lifestream."

Cloud finally brought himself to look at Zack again, finding him wearing an indescribable expression.

"After you left...I heard it calling to me," Zack continued. "I can't even describe what it felt like to see it...it was just so...beautiful." He closed his eyes as if reliving a fond memory. "All the pain I felt was just...gone. But right before it took me, I heard Cissnei's voice. At that point, I was pretty close to dead, but Cissnei and Tseng, they got to me just in time. Talk about a close one."

"I left you..." realized Cloud, the weight of this revelation hanging heavy on his shoulders. "Zack...I left you, I'm sorry, I thought-"

"Don't be," said Zack, shaking his head. "You were smart to leave, you'd have died if you stuck around any longer. There wasn't anything you could have done for me."

"So..." Cloud appeared to be deep in thought, expression unreadable. "Where have you been all this time?"

"The Turks sort of took me in as one of their own," replied Zack. "Well, some of them did. Actually, it was only Tseng and Cissnei that really knew- they didn't think they could trust the others to keep me a secret."

Thinking immediately of the loose-lipped Reno and Rude, Cloud silently applauded Cissnei's judgement on the matter.

"So, you're a Turk now." Cloud's expression shifted to one of amusement. "You've really come up in the world, then."

"Eh, not like the title means anything anymore," Zack reminded Cloud. "Shinra doesn't run the Planet like they did back in the day. All the Turks really are these days are the captains of Rufus Shinra's fan club."

"I guess you're right," agreed Cloud. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but faltered. "Why didn't you try to come back sooner?"

Zack rubbed the back of his neck. "Wasn't really safe for me, not with Sephiroth around. Would've probably made it out sooner, if all that business with the stigma and the Sephiroth remnants hadn't come up. In fact, it was only recently that I got permission to leave...thanks to the efforts of a certain old friend of mine."

"I'm...glad I could help." Cloud began to come to terms with the fact that maybe he wasn't dreaming after all. "It's good to have you back," he said, smiling at last.

Zack responded in kind with the familiar sly grin that Cloud had missed so dearly. "Any time."

Tifa, who had been silently listening to Zack's story from behind the counter, made herself scarce as to give Cloud some privacy to catch up with his newly resurrected friend.

"So," Zack began, "I hear you're quite the hotshot here in Edge. Something about saving the Planet a couple years back...oh, and killing Sephiroth. Twice." He clicked his tongue in mock disapproval. "Where do you think you get off being the hero, huh, Cloud? Wasn't that supposed to be my job?"

"Someone had to do it," Cloud answered. "But it wasn't just me, y'know. Had a lot of help from my friends, too. Gotta give them credit."

"Well, would you look at that? He's modest," Zack teased. "But seriously, I'd love to meet these friends of yours sometime."

"I think they'd like to meet you, too."

Cloud and Zack ended up talking for hours, swapping stories of things that had happened during their time apart. The ease with which they interacted made Cloud feel as if Zack had never left.

For the first time in what seemed like ages, Cloud was completely, effortlessly happy.

As the night sky slowly turned from black to a dimly lit gray, Cloud found himself getting very tired. As much as he wanted to keep talking to Zack, sleep was sounding more and more appealing by the minute.

He must have nodded off at some point during the conversation, because the next thing he knew, Zack was gently shaking him awake.

"How about we call it a night," Zack suggested. "Or...a day, maybe," he reconsidered, regarding the gray early-morning glow seeping through the windows.

"Will you come back?" Cloud asked, yawning.

"I'll see what I can do," Zack's replied. But if Cloud knew Zack as well as he thought, that answer was a definite yes.

"Great," Cloud said, getting up off his barstool and taking a step towards the stairs before stopping and turning around.

"Zack?"

"Yeah?"

"It's...really nice to have you back."

Zack smiled, getting to his feet. "It's nice to be back." He gave Cloud a forceful pat on the back, which was hard enough to make him stumble. _Guess I'm stronger than I was when we last were together_ , he mused. "I missed you tons."

"Yeah...I missed you, too." _More than you could imagine._

Cloud turned once again to the stairs. "'Night, then- or 'morning...whatever."

"'Night, Cloud," Zack said, and watched him disappear through the door.

* * *

 

Cloud was awakened by a buzzing noise on the nightstand at his bedside. His cell phone's outer display informed him that he had a new text message.

Reaching for the phone, Cloud flipped it open, checking the message he'd received from a number that wasn't saved in his contacts.

_Hey, it's Zack. Tifa caught me after you hit the hay and gave me your number. So, 7th Heaven @ 9?_

Cloud fired off a quick reply. _Sounds good to me_.

He pressed the send button, then added Zack's number to his contact list. He flipped his phone shut again, rolling onto his side.

He still couldn't believe that the events of the previous night had happened. Zack was really back- hopefully, for good.

Cloud's loss of Zack had broken him nearly beyond repair- there was no telling what would happen if he were to lose him again.

Pushing the thought out of his mind, Cloud got out of bed and set about getting ready for the day ahead.

* * *

 

Although the day seemed to drag on forever, night soon fell upon the city of Edge. 7th Heaven became its usual bustling self, and Cloud came out of hiding for the night.

The usual crowd, sans Barret, who was with Marlene for the night, was already seated. Cloud made his way over, pulling up a chair next to Reno and sitting down.

"Well, well, look who made it," Reno greeted, with a grin. "Good to see you."

"Same to you," responded Cloud, propping a foot up on one of the supports of his chair.

He reached into his pocket, digging out his cell phone. The clock at the upper corner of the screen told him that it was 8:52, eight minutes before the time he and Zack had agreed upon.

"You look nervous," Tifa remarked from across the table, noting the way that Cloud's eyes kept darting back to the door.

"You think so?" asked Cloud, a hint of sarcasm present in his voice.

"I don't think you need to be," she assured.

"Thanks," muttered Cloud, who was still fidgeting with his phone. He was glad Tifa could be there for moral support tonight- one of the other employees was working instead of her.

"Tifa told us you got someone to introduce to us," prompted Cid, lighting a cigarette and earning a frown from Tifa. She didn't appreciate him smoking in her bar, but since she wasn't technically in charge tonight, it was likely that he wouldn't listen to any attempts to force him outside.

"Yeah...an old friend." _Who still hasn't shown up yet._ Cloud looked towards the door once more...still no sign of Zack.

"The more, the merrier, I s'pose," Cid commented, taking a drag from his cigarette. Cloud wrinkled his nose slightly at the smell of smoke.

The group made idle chatter over a round of drinks, while Cloud remained intently focused on watching for Zack. After several more agonizing minutes, the door finally opened to reveal the man of the hour.

Cloud stood abruptly, knocking slightly into the table as he did so. He hastily made his way over to Zack, hailing him with a wave of his hand.

Zack's eyes lit up in recognition as he spotted Cloud. "Hey!" he called enthusiastically, closing the distance and giving Cloud a heavy pat on the back.

"Glad you made it," Cloud said, grinning. "C'mon, everyone's over this way."

As they walked, Cloud noticed that Zack, whose already wild hair had grown significantly since their last meeting, was wearing his hair tied back messily near the base of his neck.

"Your hair's gotten long," Cloud commented.

"Oh, this?" Zack pulled on the tie securing his hair, letting it spill over his broad shoulders. "Yeah, it has. Haven't been bothered to cut it, I s'pose." He briefly twisted his trademark flyaway around his finger before loosely pulling his hair back again.

"It's a good look on you," Cloud told him, casually.

"Glad you like it," Zack responded, warmly. Reaching the table, he pulled up a chair next to the empty one that he surmised to be Cloud's.

An assortment of greetings was directed at Zack, to which he responded with a wave and a wide grin. "Nice to meet you all," he began. "I'm-"

"Zack Fair," finished Reno, who, much like Rude, looked as if he had seen a ghost. "I thought you were dead," he stated in disbelief. "I was one of the men on rescue detail when Shinra was on your tail...how the hell did you survive?"

"Cissnei," Zack answered, as nonchalantly as if he were discussing the weather instead of his own death. "She and Tseng, they saved me. Just in time, too."

"Of course," grumbled Reno. "Tseng's group always got all the glory. But...never mind all that, I guess." He jabbed a thumb towards his chest. "Name's Reno."

Zack nodded in recognition. He'd seen the fiery-haired Turk around a couple of times, but had never caught his name.

"Rude," stated Rude, flatly. It took Zack a second to determine whether the bald man was introducing himself or reprimanding Reno's slightly inconsiderate behavior.

"Cid Highwind," barked Cid, cigarette perched between his teeth. "Or 'Captain,' if you're so inclined."

"I'll keep that in mind," replied Zack, giving a mock salute before firmly shaking the hand that Cid had extended across the table.

"Cocky bastard," muttered Cid, but there was no malice in his voice.

"That's Cid's way of saying he likes you," Tifa clarified, giving Cid a little shove.

"All right, how about you?" asked Zack, facing Vincent, who had been characteristically silent since his arrival.

Vincent gave Zack a respectful nod. "Vincent Valentine." He afforded Zack a rare smile. "It's a pleasure."

"Pleasure's all mine." Zack turned to Cloud. "So, is this everyone?"

"Except for Barret and the kids, but you'll meet them soon enough." Cloud shrugged. "They're a good enough group, I guess," he said, cracking a smile.

"Do you want a drink too, Zack?" asked Tifa. "It's on the house," she encouraged in a singsong voice. 

"Nah, I think I'm fine."

"I'm insisting," Tifa asserted. "I think a toast is in order."

Zack laughed softly. "Well, then, by all means. Surprise me, I guess."

Tifa left her seat and spoke to the girl tending the bar, returning with a glass in hand. Zack took it from Tifa, thanking her.

Raising her glass in the air, Tifa spoke. "Well then, what should we toast to... Cloud?"

Faced with the pressure of being put on the spot, Cloud faltered. "Well...Zack, of course," he began.

"The only guy I've met who's managed to kick death's ass," contributed Cid.

"To kicking death's ass?" proposed Tifa, wearing a mischevious grin.

"To kicking death's ass," everybody agreed, followed by the _clink_ of seven glasses colliding in midair.

Following the toast, things calmed down a bit. Zack was subjected to quite a few questions, all of which he answered with the effortlessness of a professional. Cloud had missed the cool, calm and collected demeanor that Zack somehow acquired when faced with lengthy conversation.

As the night went on, Tifa watched Cloud open up more and more to not only Zack, but the others around him as well. She suspected alcohol had a big hand in that. Judging by the volume of his voice, Cloud was more than a little tipsy.

Tifa watched Zack say something to Cloud, just quietly enough that the conversations going on around them drowned it out. Then, Cloud did something that Tifa hadn't seen him do in years.

He laughed. Not just a brief, quiet laugh- the loud, head-thrown-back kind.

Tifa found herself smiling at the sound. She was happy that Zack was around now...he was the positive force that Cloud had been missing in his life.

Cloud had barely taken his eyes off Zack since he'd walked in...almost like he was trying to make up for lost time.

Zack fit right in with Cloud's party, easing any anxieties he had about introducing a new person. Cloud was glad that everyone was so accepting of Zack- he was sure he could use some more friends after being cooped up with the Turks for so long.

With Zack at his side, Cloud felt as if all was right with the world. Everything would be fine, as long as Zack was there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all right, chapter 2 knocked out! i wanted to get another one in before i start school so you guys have more material before i disappear for a bit.  
> fair warning, next chapter's probably gonna get sad for a bit if it goes the way i planned
> 
> as always, comments/kudos are appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack meets the kids, then learns something he wishes he hadn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is Long because i couldn't find a good spot to break it up........you have been warned...

The following days were pretty typical. Cloud ran a few deliveries, and Tifa stayed home with Marlene and Denzel during the day. On one of those days, Cloud, in a rare feat of efficiency, finished up his runs early, and returned home to find Tifa and the children chatting away in the living room.

"Oh, Cloud, you're home early," Tifa said, noticing Cloud as he came up the stairs.

"Thought I might spend some of the day with you guys for a change." He shrugged. "It's been ages...I only ever see everyone at night these days."

"Well, what a pleasant surprise," Tifa replied, wearing a soft expression.

Marlene dashed over to Cloud, with Denzel right behind her. "Cloud!" she exclaimed, throwing her thin arms around Cloud's waist.

Cloud smiled down at her, placing a hand on her back and reaching out the other to ruffle Denzel's hair. "Good to see you guys," he said, fondly. "Miss me much?"

The children nodded their assent as Cloud made his way to the couch. He let out a deep sigh of relief as he sat.

"Tough day?" asked Tifa.

"Sort of," Cloud informed her. "Lots of running around, really. But it pays, so I'm gonna keep doing it." He cocked his head. "How are things around here these days?"

"Quiet, mostly." Tifa inspected one of her fingernails. "Especially when Marlene's with Barret."

Marlene, at the mention of her name, seemed to remember something important. "Hey, Cloud," she piped up, "Tifa says you brought a new friend the other night when I was gone."

"Oh...that's right." Marlene had been with her father when Zack had visited 7th Heaven a few days prior, and asleep when he'd first showed up. "Yeah, that'd be Zack. We were buddies a long time ago. He was gone for a long time, but he's back now."

"Can we meet him?" Marlene asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, sometime." Cloud nodded. "I'm sure he'll be around again soon."

"When?" prompted Marlene.

"I dunno," Cloud told her. "Whenever he comes back, I guess."

"You should invite him here," persisted Marlene. "Please?"

Cloud looked to Tifa for approval. "Tonight?" he asked, posing the question to both Marlene and Tifa.

"I don't see why not," Tifa stated. "I'm sure Zack would love to meet the kids."

"They sure seem excited to meet him," remarked Cloud. "I guess I can see if he's free later."

Denzel and Marlene voiced their approval as Cloud dug out his cell phone. Flipping open the display, he opened up his contacts, scrolling to the bottom where Zack's number was listed and pressing the call button.

The phone rang a few times, then a voice answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Zack, it's me," Cloud greeted.

"Hey! Didn't expect a call from you," came Zack's voice from the other end.

"I'm full of surprises," said Cloud, nonchalantly. "Anyway, I was wondering if you had plans for tonight."

"Why, you looking for a hot date?"

Cloud snorted. He could almost hear the smirk that was certainly on Zack's face. "Very funny. But no, the kids wanted me to ask you if you were interested in coming over here tonight."

"The kids did, huh?" Zack laughed. "Well, if it's for the _kids_ , then of course I'll do it."

"Glad to hear it." Cloud paused. "How's 7 sound?" he asked.

"Sounds good to me. See ya then."

"Yeah, see ya." Cloud ended the call, turning to Tifa. "Guess we're doing dinner, then."

* * *

 It was nearing seven o'clock, and Denzel was stationed downstairs, waiting for his dinner guest to arrive. Tifa had managed to pull some strings and take the night off to spend with Cloud, Zack, and the kids, so 7th Heaven was under someone else's care for the night.

After several minutes of waiting, the door opened to reveal Zack, who was wearing his hair down on this particular occasion. Denzel rushed over to greet him, and was immediately met with a playful ruffle of his hair.

"Hey there, kid," Zack greeted, crouching until he was eye level with Denzel. "You must be...?"

"Denzel," he informed Zack, happily. "And you're Zack. Cloud told me all about you," he added.

"Oh, did he?" Zack cocked his head. "Well, I hope I can live up to your expectations, then."

Denzel laughed. "Everyone else is upstairs," he said. "Come on, I'll show you the way."

Zack drew himself back up to his full height, following Denzel up the narrow stairwell into the upper level of the building that Cloud and Tifa called home.

He spotted Cloud, who was helping Tifa prepare dinner. "Guess who?" he called, tapping on the door frame.

Cloud looked up from the vegetables he'd been cutting, setting down his knife. "Zack," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "Glad you made it."

"We're happy to have you, Zack," called Tifa from the stove. "It'll be a little while before food's ready, so make yourself at home until then."

"Thanks, Tifa." Zack wandered a little closer to the kitchen area. "Need any help?"

"I think we have everything under control," Cloud told him. "Thanks for the offer, though. You can keep the kids company for a while, I guess."

"Sounds good." Zack set his sights on the couch in the living room, taking a seat. Denzel joined him shortly.

"How long have you known Cloud?" asked Denzel. Zack was surprised that he was making small talk, but indulged the boy nonetheless.

"Let's see...I met him when I was around sixteen, I think. I was with SOLDIER while he was still an infantryman. So..." Zack paused to think, adding up all the years. "That makes seven years, I guess."

"That's longer than I've known him," Denzel informed Zack. "It wasn't all that long ago that Cloud and Tifa took me in."

“Do you like it here with them?” Zack questioned Denzel. 

"Oh, it's great!" he exclaimed. "Tifa's really good at cooking, and Marlene's a lot of fun, too."

"How about Cloud?"

Denzel shrugged. "Up until lately, he was acting funny again. He wasn't around the house much anymore. I could tell Tifa was worried about him. But I think he's better now."

Zack had to wonder what Denzel met by "again," but didn't think too much of it for the sake of continuing the conversation. "Cloud's a great guy," he said. "He's a lot different now than he used to be, but it's been a long time. We were kids back then, and he's all grown up now. I guess I am, too."

He paused. “Y’know, Denzel, I've got some advice for you."

"What is it?"

"Take your time being a kid, okay? You gotta enjoy it while it lasts."

Denzel looked as if he was searching for a response, but was interrupted by Tifa poking her head around the corner. "Dinner's ready," she informed the two. 

Zack got to his feet, following Tifa back into the kitchen. He seated himself across from Cloud, who had just finished carrying a large pot of what looked to be stew to the table. 

Denzel seated himself at the end of the table, between Zack and Cloud. Marlene appeared in the kitchen for the first time that night, sitting at Zack's side, across from Tifa. 

Marlene turned to Zack before he had a chance to speak to her, extending a hand to him. "I'm Marlene," she told him as he took her hand and gave it a firm shake. 

"I'm Zack, but you probably figured that out already." He smiled at her. "Nice to meet you."

"Well, now that everybody's introduced," Tifa began, "go ahead and help yourselves. The stew's still pretty hot, so be careful with it."

Cloud took the ladle, serving up a sizable bowl and sliding it in Zack's direction. "Guests first," he said, a hint of mischief in his voice.

"Why, thank you," Zack responded, in a mockingly refined manner. Marlene began giggling next to him, as Tifa rolled her eyes. 

Once everyone was served, Zack took a generous spoonful of his dinner, blowing on it for a moment before putting the spoon to his mouth.

"Wow..." he muttered, savoring the taste. "Tifa, this is...really good stuff."

"Thank you," Tifa replied, modestly.

"No, seriously, can you cook for me every night?" asked Zack.

"Maybe...for the right price." Tifa made a show of tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I'm afraid to think of what Cloud's diet might become if he didn't have me, though," she said, glancing over at Cloud.

"Hey, I can cook for myself, too," Cloud defended, through a mouthful of bread. 

"Instant food doesn't really count, Cloud," Tifa countered.

Zack laughed at Cloud's disgruntled expression. "Well, it seems like maybe you need her more than I do," he concluded. 

"My mom used to always say that she thought I ought to get myself a girl who'd be able to take care of me," Cloud remarked. "Guess she was right, I'm not too great at fending for myself."

"Looks like you got one already," Zack pointed out. "I mean, you have Tifa, right?"

"It's not like that," Tifa clarified quickly, as Cloud nearly choked on another bite of bread.

"Oh, really?" Zack rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Sorry, guess I shouldn't have assumed."

"You wouldn't be the only one," Cloud assured, raising his glass of water to his lips. Zack could tell there was a hint of blush in his cheeks.

"I think Cloud's more like a little brother to me," Tifa told Zack.

"Tifa, I'm older than you," Cloud reminded her.

"I know." Tifa shrugged. "That's just how it feels to me."

"Yeah, I guess I understand."

"Well, it's good that Cloud's got someone to keep him out of trouble," Zack said, mischeviously.

"If you say so," Cloud answered, raising an eyebrow.

The meal continued with small talk and Zack being subjected to questions from the children. He was a natural with kids, it seemed- he always knew exactly what to say to them. Cloud thought maybe it was because Zack had managed to retain the youthful energy that he had always been known to possess. 

Cloud had never felt more at home than he did now, with Tifa, Marlene, Denzel and Zack all sitting around him. 

The conversations eventually wound down, and everyone had eaten to the point where their stomachs could hold no more. Zack was the first to stand, clearing his place and coming back to help Tifa and Cloud with the rest. 

After the remnants of dinner had been dealt with, Zack took a seat on the sofa, Marlene plopping down beside him. “Hey, I saw you watching me for most of dinner,” he commented. “I know I’m a good-looking guy, but don’t you think I’m a little old for you?”

“No...it’s not that,” Marlene told him, giggling. “It’s just…I don’t think I’ve ever seen a boy with so much hair.”

“Is that so?” Zack asked, thoughtfully running a hand through his dark mane. “Well, I’m here to impress.”

Marlene reached out a tentative hand. “Can I…?”

“Sure,” permitted Zack, leaning forward so he was more within Marlene's reach.

He relaxed as Marlene combed her fingers through his thick hair. "It's soft," she remarked.

"Yeah, I try to manage it." Zack turned his head towards her. "You know, Marlene, you've got nice, pretty hair, too," he said, flicking her braid. "I know a girl who has hair a lot like yours." He brushed his fingers over the pink ribbon Marlene wore tied at the base of her braid. "She wears a ribbon like this, too."

"She sounds pretty," Marlene told Zack, smiling at him.

"Oh, she's beautiful," Zack replied, dreamily. "Haven't seen her in years, though. Her name's Aerith."

Cloud, who had been watching Zack and Marlene's exchange from across the room, felt his stomach drop.

_Aerith?_

Zack knew the same Aerith that Tifa and Cloud had both known and loved...and watched die?

"You...know Aerith?" Tifa asked, quietly.

"Oh, yeah!" Zack confirmed. " _You_ know Aerith?"

"Yes," was all Tifa said, realization washing over her.

Zack didn't know that Aerith was gone.

Cloud found himself unable to speak. He didn't think he could bring himself to talk about Aerith...not when Zack was so blissfully unaware of her untimely fate.

"Oh, man, I'd love to hear from her," Zack said. "What are the chances of that?"

"Zack..." Tifa began. "Aerith's...not here anymore."

"Not...here?" he asked, beginning to feel uneasy at the way Cloud and Tifa were behaving. "Then, wh-"

"She's gone, Zack," Cloud spit out, staring at his feet.

The room was completely silent for several painful seconds. Marlene and Denzel looked at each other helplessly. They weren't certain what was happening, but they could tell the atmosphere had changed dramatically.

"Gone...?" Zack asked, cautiously. He desperately hoped that Cloud didn't mean what Zack thought he meant.

"Aerith...she's dead," muttered Cloud. "I'm sorry. I couldn't save her."

Zack's head was swimming. Surely Aerith couldn't be _dead_...who would go after a flower girl from the slums? Shinra was supposed to be protecting her, there was no way she could be harmed under their watch...could she?

Zack stood, slowly. The children sensed that they were caught in the middle of something they had no business watching, so they made themselves scarce.

"This your idea of a joke, Cloud?" he asked, his voice wavering in a combination of anger and grief.

"I wish it was," Cloud snapped back. "You think I'd lie to you?"

"Cloud...Zack...please." Tifa looked as if she could cry. "Don't do this."

Cloud got to his feet suddenly, striding past Tifa, who stood and attempted to grab his arm but was easily brushed aside. He escaped the living room into his own bedroom, shutting the door rather loudly behind himself.

Tifa sat back down, casting a helpless glance at Zack. After a moment of standing in silence, Zack followed Cloud to his room.

A turn of the door handle revealed the door to be locked. Zack knocked twice, sighing. "Cloud," he called, in a much gentler tone than the one he had used on Cloud previously. "Will you let me in?"

"No."

"I shouldn't have acted like that," Zack said, pressing a hand against the door. "I got mad, and took it out on you, and-"

The door opened suddenly, making Zack stumble. Cloud looked up at Zack, his eyes looking slightly red-rimmed. He stepped back, giving Zack space to step inside. Zack obliged, following Cloud over to his bed and taking a seat beside him.

They were silent for several moments before Zack managed to speak up. "I'm sorry," he told Cloud. "I didn't mean to snap at you, I'm just...dammit, I don't even know what I'm feeling right now."

"Yeah...I understand." Cloud recalled the feeling of losing someone he was close to. He'd felt it so many times, now...with Zack, his mother, even Jessie, Biggs and Wedge. And, of course, Aerith.

"I just...want to know what happened," Zack managed.

Cloud hunched over, cradling his head in his hands. "I couldn't keep her safe..." he muttered. "It was Sephiroth," he said, spitting out the name with contempt. "He was the one who...who killed her."

"Sephiroth...?" Zack repeated, a fresh wave of anger rising through his body. "I should have finished that bastard when I had the chance...I can't believe I ever called him a friend."

He drove his fist into the mattress. "I could have stopped him...if only I'd been able to finish the job all those years ago."

"Zack...you remember what happened the time we tried to take him down. We were both in pretty bad shape...I don't think either of us could have beaten him."

Zack was quiet for a while. "I guess...blaming ourselves won't do much good now," he said, finally.

"Yeah," agreed Cloud. "Took me two whole years to figure that out...I only just managed to forgive myself for everything that happened back then."

"Well...it's good that you were able to do that," Zack responded.

"Aerith didn't deserve what happened to her," Cloud stated, wistfully. "She's the sweetest girl I've ever met...it's still hard for me to believe that anyone would want to hurt her." He delicately touched the pink ribbon tied around his upper left arm. "We all wear these...to remember her."

Zack brushed his fingers over the thin, silky band. "Hey..." he began. "Cloud."

"Yeah?"

"You loved her...didn't you?"

Cloud was taken aback by the sudden question. "I...yeah, I did," he admitted.

"It's in your voice...I can tell." Zack was miles away, reminiscing a better time. "With Aerith, though, I think it's impossible not to love her. She was my girlfriend back when I was still with SOLDIER, y'know. Meant to introduce you two, but you and I both got real busy, so I never found the time."

"She talked about you with me," Cloud informed Zack, nodding as he sat back up. "We went on a date once- ah, that doesn't bother you, does it?"

"Not really," dismissed Zack. "Me being dead would have made her fair game, don't you think?"

Cloud managed a small smile. "I...guess you're right," he said, a bit awkwardly. "Anyway...when we met, I said I'd help her get out of the church, but for the right price, y'know? That was back when I was still working as a merc, so everything was about money. She agreed that in exchange for helping her, she'd let me go on one date with her."

"You're kidding." Zack's jaw dropped. "That's pretty much exactly what I told her when we met."

"What a copycat." Cloud pretended to chastise Aerith. "I bet you didn't meet her by falling through the roof of her church, though."

"Actually..." Zack shook his head. "That's exactly how we met."

"No way." Cloud was amazed at how similar his and Zack's first encounters with Aerith were. "Guess I can see why she fell for both of us, then," he joked.

"Actually, I think we did the falling part," Zack corrected. That earned him a punch in the arm from Cloud.

"She did talk about you, though. We only went out the one time, when we went to Gold Saucer- you know, that amusement park outside Corel. We were watching the fireworks from the gondola, and she said...that meeting me was like meeting you again. That she wanted to meet the real me." Cloud fidgeted with a tiny snag at the knee of his pants. "Come to think of it, I sorta get the feeling like she only liked me because I made her think of you."

"I don't think that's why she liked you," Zack assured. "You're a great guy, Cloud...I think anyone would be lucky to have you."

"I...thanks, Zack," Cloud said, surprised at the sudden compliment.

"I mean that, really." Zack placed a comforting hand on Cloud's shoulder.

"So...you're taking this pretty well," commented Cloud.

"Only 'cause you're here, I think," Zack admitted. "I'm...not sure how I'd take it on my own."

"You don't have to," Cloud told him. "Me and Tifa...we know how you feel. You've got us if you need anything."

"Yeah." Zack let his hand drop. "Thanks."

Cloud understood better than most how Zack was feeling. Hell, he'd dealt with heavy losses the last several years of his life, and all he'd done to help himself was run away from his failures. He was determined not to let Zack go down that same dark path.

"I know how this goes," Cloud assured. "It's taken me this long to come to terms with it...don't let it control you." He hunched over again, supporting his weight with his knees. "Between you and her...it really got me. Just.. don't hide like I did, Zack."

Zack sensed that Cloud was scratching the surface of something big, something that Cloud hadn't told him about.

"Cloud...what happened to you after I died?"

"You really wanna know...?"

 _That bad, huh?_ Zack thought. "Only if you want to tell me."

"I lost everything that day...I forgot who I was, even. I...I thought I was you, Zack." Cloud fidgeted with his hands. "I...used your accomplishments to make up for my failures. Passed myself off as a SOLDIER, first-class and hired myself out as a mercenary. Didn't know a damn thing about who I really was, except my name."

Zack looked over at Cloud. "I really did a number on you, huh."

Cloud didn't speak, not having much to say after pouring his heart out to Zack like he'd just done. He still wasn't great with emotion, so he was trying to collect his thoughts before he spoke again.

Before he had a chance to say anything, though, Cloud found himself suddenly snatched up by Zack, pulled into a warm embrace.

"I'm sorry," was all Zack said.

Cloud managed to un-pin his arms from his sides, wrapping them around Zack's back. "Don't be."

God, when was the last time he'd been held like this? Cloud wasn't sure he remembered. He usually avoided letting others into his personal space, but this was different.

And Zack's embrace was familiar. He'd held Cloud on more than one occasion while he was incapacitated due to mako poisoning- but this was gentler, more deliberate. More out of desire than necessity.

Cloud felt as if more was being said in this moment than all that he had told Zack in the moments leading up to it. He was glad for it...he didn't think he could find anything meaningful to say.

Zack felt Cloud loosen up, and let him go. Cloud looked like he was about to say something.

"I think...having you back is enough," stated Cloud, quietly. "It's more than I should even ask for, but...it's what I got, and I'm sure as hell gonna take it."

"Yeah." Zack got to his feet. "I should probably go," he said, a bit awkwardly. "Don't wanna overstay my welcome, y'know."

"You gonna be okay?" asked Cloud, turning to watch Zack as he made his way to the door.

"Yeah...I think so. I just need some time to...process, I guess." He opened Cloud's door, stepping out.

"Please...let me know if you need anything," called Cloud. "You'll regret it if you don't talk, trust me."

Zack poked his head back through the doorway. "Sure thing," he responded, waving goodbye to Cloud and seeing himself out.

Cloud flopped on his back, sinking into his mattress. He stared up at the ceiling, sighing.

There was a soft knock on his door several minutes after Zack's departure. "Cloud?" came Tifa's voice. "Can I come in?"

"Go ahead."

Cloud heard the soft click of the handle turning and the sound of Tifa's footsteps approaching him.

He felt the mattress sink as Tifa sat. She said nothing for a few seconds, then opted to mimick Cloud's position, lying opposite him.

"Is everything okay between you and Zack?" she asked, folding her hands over her stomach. "You were both pretty upset."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just hope that he's fine, too."

"I can't imagine how he must feel," Tifa sympathized. "He's been gone so long...so much has happened while he was away."

"He's definitely hurting," Cloud told her, his gaze still fixed on the ceiling. "He's trying to hide it from me, but...Zack's never been the best liar." He sighed. "I'm worried about him."

"Give him time," Tifa advised. "People need time to mourn."

"Don't we know it," agreed Cloud.

"Zack being around has been good for you, Cloud," Tifa said, changing the topic suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

Tifa turned her head towards Cloud. "I haven't seen you this happy in months. He brings something out in you that I was starting to be afraid that you'd lost." She smiled. "You're happy. And that makes me happy."

Cloud laughed quietly. "Y'know, I think you're right."

Tifa sat up, giving Cloud's hair an affectionate ruffle as she got to her feet. "He'll come around," she assured. "Just give him time."

"I will." Cloud righted himself, turning in Tifa's direction. "Thanks, Tifa," he said, admiring her knack for always knowing the right things to say.

"You know, I'm always here for you," Tifa reminded Cloud. "Anyway, it's getting late. I'm probably going to bed." She stopped in the doorway. "'Night, Cloud."

"'Night."

Cloud kicked off his shoes, getting under his blankets and checking his cell phone one last time before he dropped off for the night. He had a message from Zack.

_Thought about what you said. Think I'm gonna head back home to Gongaga for a few days to sort some things out._

Cloud typed out a response.

_Be back soon, all right?_

Cloud flipped his phone shut, reaching over to set it on the nightstand. The device buzzed in his hand an instant before he let go of it.

He had another message.

_Be back before you know it. Don't miss me too much, okay?_

Cloud smiled, closing his phone and setting it aside.

He closed his eyes, feeling a warmth wash over him. Cloud rolled onto his side, and let the sluggish embrace of sleep take him in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [insert picture of cloud saying (hoo boy) here]  
> wow, i'm finally done with another chapter! school just started again for me so i haven't been able to devote as much time to my writing as when i started this fic, but i'll try to write whenever i can. i've got big plans for this fic so stay tuned...  
> as always, comments/kudos are greatly appreciated, and feel free to get in touch with me on my tumblr/twitter at the handle somnusu1tima! until next time, guys.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack goes home for a little while.

Standing at a familiar fork in a well-traveled dirt road, Zack allowed himself a moment to take in his surroundings.

He listened to the rustle of the trees around him, a celebratory song to commemorate the end of his journey.

He was home.

Gongaga, once a cozy and lively village, was now becoming a ghost town of sorts. Many of the inhabitants had been killed in the explosion years earlier, and many more had deserted their home after the calamity.

Briefly recalling how Cloud had poked fun at his hometown, saying it had "such a backwater name," Zack smiled to himself.

Zack was hoping that his parents were among those who had remained after the reactor explosion. He hadn't seen his parents since he'd left for the city nearly twelve years earlier, and hadn't contacted them for probably close to nine. He was sure they probably assumed the worst.

Zack didn't know if he would be able to face his parents after all he had been through, but even so, just being in Gongaga reminded him of a simpler time. The last time he had visited hadn't been under ideal circumstances- namely, trying to smuggle a comatose Cloud out of harm's way- so he hoped that this visit would be more for the purpose of leisure.

Making his way down the road, Zack continued to walk towards the small home that he had grown up in. There were very few people out and about- not a bad thing, considering Zack's current anxiety. He didn't want to talk any more than he needed to before reaching his destination.

At long last, Zack neared the steps to his childhood home. Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the door, fist hovering several inches in front of it. _Can I really do this?_ he asked himself, nervously.

Steeling himself, Zack knocked, and waited for an answer.

After about a minute with no response, Zack decided to knock once more. He was ready to give up, turning around to descend the steps, when the sound of the door opening froze him in place.

He turned slowly, finding a dark-haired woman peering out at him.

His mother.

Taking a step towards her, Zack's eyes went wide. "Mom...?" he breathed.

Recognition lit up her face instantly as she looked closer at the visitor. This was her prodigal son...home at last.

She immediately rushed up to embrace him, locking her arms tightly around Zack. She began to cry over her reunion with her son, tears soaking into the fabric of Zack's shirt. "Zack..." she managed, shakily. "You're alive...I can't believe it."

Zack held his mother close, resting his head against hers. She was much smaller than he'd remembered, only coming up to about his chin. He'd definitely grown plenty in the years he'd been away. The reality of just how long he'd been gone was beginning to sink in.

He felt his eyes welling up with tears as he inhaled his mother's familiar scent. "Mom," he repeated, softly. "It's been too long."

The two remained standing on the front steps, overwhelmed with emotion, until another figure was drawn to the scene- his father.

The graying man hugged his son and his wife tightly, not speaking. He had no idea what to say, except Zack's name.

Zack stood in silence in his parents' arms for a while longer, before speaking. "I missed you guys," he said to them, voice wavering.

"It's been years," Zack's father stated. "Your mother and I...we pretty much accepted the worst had happened."

"Oh, just look at you," his mother said, affectionately framing Zack's face with her hands. "You've grown into such a handsome young man."

Zack smiled sheepishly. "And you haven't changed a bit," he returned, addressing both his parents. "Both of you look the same as the day I left."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" urged Zack's mother. "Come inside, make yourself comfortable."

The three of them retreated indoors, seating themselves at the small, but familiar, kitchen table.

Zack's father was the first to speak once everyone was seated. "What happened to you, son?"

"It's...a really long story," began Zack. "I don't even know where to start."

"The last we heard from you, you'd just made first class in SOLDIER," offered his mother. "You wrote to us about some girl, too, if I remember correctly. Did anything come of that?"

Zack's stomach turned. The last thing he wanted to be reminded of now was Aerith, but it seemed as if she was going to follow him wherever he went, so he decided just to let that happen.

He sighed. "I wish," he said, wistfully. "She's...she's gone now."

Zack's mother softened. "Oh...Zack, I'm sorry to hear that," she consoled.

"It happened a couple of years ago, I guess," explained Zack, staring down at the table. "I actually only just heard about it recently- we'd been apart for a while, y'know, and I came back, and..."

"I can't imagine how you must feel," his father said. "Coming back, just to hear that kind of news."

"You're talking about 'coming back'...where did you go?" asked Zack's mother, trying to make light of the topic.

Zack looked back up, shifting in his seat. "Well, I guess you could say...I died." He shrugged. "Like I said...long story."

"We've got time," his mother pressed, obviously intrigued at her son's "death." "Take all the time you need."

So Zack began his lengthy tale, starting from the beginning with his training under Angeal's tutelage. He told his parents about the mass desertion led by Genesis Rhapsodos, and how Angeal eventually followed in his old friend's footsteps, and how even the great Sephiroth had refused to go on a mission to take them out.

He detailed Hollander's involvement with Genesis, Angeal's betrayal, and how he'd fallen down into Aerith's church and thought he'd seen an angel when he caught a glimpse of her face. Zack gushed about Aerith for several minutes- still a bittersweet topic. He loved talking about her, but hated remembering what once was...and what could no longer be.

Zack spoke of how he'd been captured as a specimen and held in captivity for four years. He described what his year on the run from Shinra had been like, and how he'd been cornered and eventually shot down- and how he'd done all of that alongside Cloud, the SOLDIER hopeful he'd taken under his wing.

Cloud's name came up more than a few times. Cloud, the one he carried with him for nearly a year, comatose; Cloud, the one who he had guarded with his life every step of the way; Cloud, the one he would inevitably die for.

Zack had become fast friends with Cloud, back on that snowy cliff. He'd instantly admired the somewhat shy personality, soft blue eyes, and wild, gravity defying hair of his new acquaintance. Cloud was easy to get along with back then- it was hard now, seeing the older, jaded version of the boy Zack met back in Modeoheim. That boy, it seemed, was long gone. He'd died up on the clifftop there with Zack.

"So, officially, I'm dead," concluded Zack, wrapping up his lengthy story. "All the reports say so. Probably best to keep it that way- keeps anyone who might still want me gone off my tail."

Zack's parents seemed at a loss for words, likely wondering how their son had managed to get himself caught up in such an elaborate scheme.

His father was the first to speak. "Are you safe here?" he asked, concerned.

"Oh yeah," assured Zack. "I've got the Turks looking after me...President Shinra's own men."

"Impressive," commented his mother.

"Pretty sweet, right?" Zack nodded. "It's because of them that I'm even alive. They saved me just before I would have died, and I owe it to them. They haven't let me forget it, either," he added, thinking of Tseng in particular.

"Well, they certainly have our thanks," Zack's father said. "They brought you back to us, Zack."

"Yeah...they did." Zack smiled. "I'm glad I made it here."

"So are we." His mother smiled back at him. "Are you planning on staying a while?"

"A few days, maybe. If...that's all right with you guys, I mean," clarified Zack.

His parents both quickly assured him that letting him stay would be no trouble. "Zack, honey," his mother began, "this is still your house, no matter what happens. You're always welcome here."

"Yeah...guess you're right."

Having run out of things to say for the moment, a silence fell between the three people sitting at the table. Zack was quietly thanking the powers that be for the chance to see his parents again. He guessed they were likely doing something similar.

His mother spoke. "You've been through so much...just know that you don't have to face these things alone. Your father and I are here, any time you need us."

"Thank you guys." Zack ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry I was gone for so long...I won't let that happen again."

"All that matters is that you're safe, Zack." His father's tone was firm, but gentle. "Don't worry about the way things were before."

Zack smiled. "Y'know, I really missed you guys."

The three of them continued their conversation, catching each other up on the last ten-odd years of each other's lives. As the exchange went on, Zack began to feel almost as if he'd never left in the first place.

He'd heard it said that there was no place like home. Coming back after so many years, Zack was finding the sentiment to be all too true. Seated at the table with both his parents just felt normal. He was happy just to have his family back with him.

Being in this house had never felt so wonderful.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! sorry this chapter took a bit longer, that was due in part to 1. a major art project that's currently kicking my ass, 2. me writing this chapter and the one that immediately follows at the same time, and 3. getting sick the past couple of days. but here's a little something for you! sorry if it's too rushed, i just wanted to post so the stort can keep going.
> 
> as always, kudos/comments are MUCH appreciated and you're more than welcome to contact me on my tumblr or twitter at somnusu1tima!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cloud has a crush. tifa can't believe she has to tell him something so obvious.

"Can I borrow you for a minute, Cloud?"

Cloud sat up on his bed, hearing Tifa's voice through his door. He got to his feet, making his way to the door and opening it. "What's up?" he asked, quizzically.

"Just want to talk, that's all." Tifa shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Also, I made coffee."

"At this hour?" It was getting late, and Cloud figured that consuming any caffeine past the current time would keep a person awake for hours.

"Impulse decision. Why don't you come out here?"

"Sure," agreed Cloud. Getting time alone with Tifa was a rarity these days, so he decided to indulge her.

Cloud followed Tifa into the kitchen, seating himself at the table. A steaming mug was placed in front of him. He opted to wait until Tifa returned to enjoy his coffee.

Tifa appeared with her own mug in hand, perching on the table in lieu of of sitting in a chair.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Cloud asked. "Must be important."

"Oh, it is," assured Tifa. "It's about Zack."

"Zack?" repeated Cloud. "What about him?" he asked, cautiously. Did something happen? He hoped not.

"You're into him," Tifa stated, matter-of-factly.

"Excuse me?"

Tifa gave Cloud a smug grin. "It's so obvious," she informed him.

"Tifa, what makes you say I'm _into_ him?" Cloud raised his mug, taking a cautious sip of the hot liquid inside.

"If you could see the way you act around him, you'd know exactly what I'm talking about." Tifa crossed her arms. "It's barely been two weeks that he's been around, and it's like you're a completely different person." She sighed. "I was worried about you, you know. You weren't yourself...I was scared we might lose you again."

"Nah, it wasn't anything as bad as before," dismissed Cloud, regretting making Tifa worry for him. "Zack...does make me happy," he admitted. "Being around him reminds me of when we were younger...back before everything happened."

"The first time you invited him to 7th Heaven you hardly took your eyes off him the whole night." Tifa tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I've known you longer than anyone, Cloud Strife...don't think you can hide things from me so easily."

"Tifa, he's my friend. That's all."

"Your friend, who you look at like he's got the stars in his eyes. Trust me, Cloud, when it comes to this stuff, you're an open book." Tifa leaned over, prodding Cloud's chest to emphasize each word she spoke. "You...like...him."

"So...what if I do?" Cloud slouched a little, looking defeated. "Maybe you're right, but...what does it matter?"

Tifa laughed. "Man, I didn't think you could get any more oblivious. Guess I was wrong."

"What are you talking about?" Cloud was confused at Tifa's implications.

"I think Zack likes you, too."

Cloud sat up a little straighter. "Seriously?"

Tifa grinned. "See, Cloud, this is what I'm talking about. You get excited about him. But yeah, I think it's safe to say he's interested."

"You...really think so?" asked Cloud, a hint of hopefulness in his voice.

"Definitely," Tifa confirmed, nodding. "Both of you are so bad at hiding this stuff...it's kind of cute, actually."

Cloud grumbled under his breath about being called "cute," which only served to further amuse Tifa.

"Glad to see you're so concerned about my love life," remarked Cloud.

"Oh, don't be like that." Tifa directed a playful shove at Cloud. "Just helping you out a little."

"Thanks...I guess." Cloud reached for his mug, but was interrupted by his cell phone buzzing in his pocket.

Tifa gave Cloud a suspicious look as he reached for the device. "Zack?" she asked.

"Maybe." Cloud flipped open his phone, and sure enough, he had a new message from Zack.

_Probably heading back to Edge soon. These last few days have been good for me. How are things on your end?_

He was about to reply when he suddenly felt Tifa's hands on his face.

"Hey...cut it out," he told her, trying to shake her off.

"There's that expression," she said, excitedly. "Your face goes all soft...it's a good look on you." She pulled her hands away, letting Cloud go. "So...? What'd he say?"

"Nothing you'd find interesting, I promise." Cloud flipped the phone shut, setting it on the table. "Just updating me on what he's been doing."

"Oh, yeah. He's with his parents, right?" asked Tifa, seeking reaffirmation.

Cloud nodded. "Seems like being home is helping him a lot."

"Remember when we met his parents two or three years ago?"

"Yeah, I do." Cloud absently drummed his fingers on the table. "Faintly. My memory was still a little hazy then. I feel like an ass for how I acted to them...kinda want to apologize someday."

"Maybe you'll get a chance." Tifa softened. "It wasn't your fault that you couldn't help them."

"Yeah, I know, it's just..." Cloud sighed, defeated. "I don't know. I still have a lot of regrets about back then. I'm over the big stuff, but the little things still sting."

"I know what you mean." Tifa placed a comforting hand on Cloud's shoulder.

"Having Zack...definitely helps, though," Cloud explained. "Letting him die- or at least, thinking that I did- that was one of my biggest regrets. Knowing that at least one of my failures turned out all right is nice."

"I'm glad that you have him," Tifa said, squeezing Cloud's shoulder a little. "You're happier now. I like that."

"Yeah...I do too." Cloud offered Tifa a smile.

"You should wear one of those more often," remarked Tifa, in reference to Cloud's expression.

"You think?" Cloud shrugged. "Maybe I'll give it a try."

"That's what I like to hear."

Tifa hopped off the table, taking her now-empty mug to the sink. "I'm excited for you," she called.

"What makes you think anything will come of this?"

"I have a feeling." Tifa tapped her head. "I think you should go for it."

"We'll see." Cloud stood, offering his half-empty mug to Tifa. "Want the rest?"

"Nah, I'm fine," she declined, politely. "Not in the mood?"

"Guess not." Cloud walked over to the sink where Tifa was still standing. He poured the remnants of his coffee down the drain, setting the dirty mug in the sink. "Hey, Tifa."

"What's up?"

"Thanks."

Tifa smiled. "Any time, Cloud."

Cloud retreated to his room, bidding Tifa good night. He kicked off his shoes, flopping onto his bed and pulling his phone out of his pocket.

Zack's message was still displayed on the screen, warranting a reply. Cloud typed one back.

_Glad to hear it. It's been sorta dull around here, but I manage._

He sent the message, staring out the window as he waited for a response. Soon enough, the device buzzed in his hand.

_Hey, I meant to tell you. I remembered something earlier. Something that happened a long time ago._

_Oh yeah?_ replied Cloud. He wondered what sort of thing Zack had recalled.

Another vibration. _Back when we were in Junon, I told you that after everything was over I'd buy you dinner sometime. Offer still stands, if you're interested._

Cloud smiled at Zack's memory. He'd completely forgotten about that offer. He briefly considered that if Tifa caught wind of this, she would think it was suspiciously close to a date.

He was tempted to ask Zack if a date was his true intention, but held himself back.

_I'd like that._

Cloud considered what a date with Zack might be like for a moment, toying with the idea.

 _So...maybe Tifa was right,_ Cloud admitted to himself. _Maybe I do like him...a little_.

Liking Zack came almost naturally to Cloud, he figured. They'd been fast friends ever since Cloud and a fellow infantryman had been assigned to accompany Zack and Tseng to Modeoheim.

Cloud recalled how Zack had proclaimed to Tseng that both of them were "backwater experts" on that snowy mountain pass, affording himself a smile at the thought. That first exchange had made Cloud feel more at home with Shinra. He remembered how anxious he'd been as a young recruit, having just left his small-town home for city life.

He'd wanted so desperately to find his place at Shinra, and Zack had given him just that. Being friends with a 1st had its advantages, but their friendship never had anything to do with rank. Zack treated him, a lowly infantryman, as an equal, even though there was decidedly a gap in both skill and experience between the two of them.

Cloud wasn't the only one who'd instantly liked Zack- that much he knew. There was Aerith, of course, and Cloud thought he had even heard rumors of a fanclub dedicated to Zack when he was still with SOLDIER. Zack had a likable, boyish charm and a tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve, both of which apparently made him easy to admire.

The more he mused about Zack, the more Cloud realized just how deeply the roots of his supposed attraction lay.

_I might be in deeper than I thought._

Cloud's train of thought was interrupted by his phone, delivering him yet another message from the object of his imaginings.

_Thought you might. Wanna talk details once I'm back?_

Cloud sent a quick reply of affirmation and set the phone aside. He yanked his covers over his body, making himself comfortable. Rolling over, he closed his eyes in an attempt to fall asleep.

He was jolted once again by a buzz from his phone- Zack again.

_Sounds great. Can't wait to see you again._

Cloud found himself grinning at the message. He typed out a reply one last time.

_Yeah, same to you. Anyway, I'm calling it a night. Talk to you in the morning._

He set the device aside, closing his eyes once more. By the time Zack's goodnight text came through, Cloud was no longer awake to hear it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another chapter! this one takes place sometime after the previous one, but they're pretty close as far as the timeline goes. hoping to get another chapter out in a decent amount of time for you guys to enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which zack makes good on a promise, cloud gets more than a little jealous, and some interesting things are revealed.

"So, what are you in the mood for?"

Cloud was taken aback to find Zack stretched out on his couch- although, at this point, Zack was becoming somewhat of a permanent household fixture.

"You're early." Cloud walked up towards Zack, leaning on the arm of the sofa. "Tifa let you up?"

"Nah, Denzel." Zack crossed one leg over the other. "Glad that the kids trust me enough to let me in. So, Cloud...where are we going?"

"Doesn't have to be anything fancy," answered Cloud, shrugging. "I'm up for whatever."

"You don't have to be stingy, you know." Zack got to his feet, facing Cloud. "I'm treating you here."

"We'll figure something out." Cloud made his way to the stairs. "There's a bunch of places around the bar...we could walk around until we find somewhere that sounds good."

"Sounds like a plan," agreed Zack. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards the stairwell.

Cloud followed Zack downstairs, suddenly stopping at the landing. He caught Zack's arm, noticing the ribbon tied around it, identical to the one Cloud wore.

"Tifa?" he asked, eyeing Zack's new accessory.

"Tifa," affirmed Zack. "Said she thought I might want one too."

"Sounds like her." Of course Zack would want the ribbon. He'd loved Aerith just as much as the rest of them, if not more.

There was a brief, heavy silence, quickly followed by Zack springing forward out the door. Cloud rushed to keep up with Zack's sudden burst of energy.

It was a clear day, which meant the streets were bustling with people. Small children tugging their parents along, young couples hand in hand, and people talking on cell phones contributed to the general ambience.

The air was filled with the smell of food from various establishments, making Cloud's nearly-empty stomach growl.

"You wanna get something quick, or sit down somewhere?" prompted Zack.

"Mm...let's sit." Cloud wanted to be able to comfortably enjoy his afternoon with Zack, so naturally he would rather be waited on.

"Sounds good."

The pair wandered the streets for a while longer, running across a run-of-the-mill burger joint that caught Zack's eye. Cloud, having no better ideas, agreed to have lunch there.

A young, energetic waitress greeted Zack and Cloud at the entrance. "How many today?" she asked.

"Table for two, please," Zack answered, his characteristically upbeat tone making the waitress smile.

"Right this way," she said, leading the two to a booth beside a window.

As Cloud made his way to the table, his knuckles brushed lightly across the back of Zack's hand, just for an instant. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to hold that hand.

Cloud seated himself, with Zack following suit. Their waitress passed out a couple of menus, took their drink orders, then headed back to where she came from.

Although Cloud was more than happy to let Zack do the talking- his own interpersonal skills often left much to be desired- he couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort he was getting from watching Zack interact with the waitress. It was clear that he had caught her eye, and Zack, natural flirt that he was, was playing right along.

He shouldn't be bothered by watching Zack sweet talk some girl who neither of them would probably see again, but he was.

 _Gods, Tifa wasn't kidding_ , Cloud realized. _I really am in deep here._

"Wanna split an appetizer or something?" asked Zack, skimming over his menu.

"Nah. I'm hungry, but not that hungry."

"Whatever works." Zack buried his nose back in the menu, trying to decide what to order.

As he and Cloud considered what to eat, the same waitress from before returned with their drinks, now taking food orders. Cloud felt something in his stomach twist a little, watching the way she was looking at Zack.

"She likes you," commented Cloud, after the girl had left their table.

"You think?" Zack shrugged. "I guess she's cute, but...probably not my type."

"I see." Cloud tapped his fingers rhythmically on the tabletop. "You get lots of looks, you know. As in, several just on our way here."

"Hmm...guess I don't really notice it that much."

"I'm surprised," Cloud responded. "I would think that you couldn't miss it."

"I'm just...not really looking for anyone right now, I guess," Zack admitted. "Maybe I'd pay more attention if I was more interested."

Cloud didn't know if he should feel relieved or discouraged about this new information. On one hand, he now knew he had no competition when it came to Zack, but at the same time, Cloud figured that it meant Zack wasn't interested in him.

Zack interrupted Cloud's train of thought. "What about you, Cloud?" he asked. "Got your eye on a lucky lady?"

"Ah, no, actually." Which wasn't a lie. Cloud did have his eye on someone- that someone just happened to be seated across from him, and definitely _not_ a lady. "Same as you, I guess...just not interested."

"No harm in that." Zack raised his glass to his lips, taking a drink. "It's good to have time to focus on yourself."

The conversation eased out of the awkward subject into small talk, much to Cloud's relief. Even so, he felt a little bit put out. He figured he could blame Tifa for that- she'd been the one who planted the idea that Zack had any interest in him in the first place.

Eventually, the food was brought to the table, by the same waitress who had been eyeing Zack the entire time. Cloud knew she had no ill intent, but she was beginning to get on his nerves. He knew he had no right being jealous, because Zack was never his to begin with. But the lingering feeling in the pit of his stomach was making it difficult to enjoy his meal.

"Everything okay?" Zack asked, snapping Cloud back to reality. "You've barely eaten," he observed, through a mouthful of hamburger.

Cloud picked up a couple of fries and ate them, to satisfy Zack. "I'm fine," he assured. "I guess I don't have much of an appetite."

"You should still try to eat," Zack urged. "You need your strength," he said, waving the fry he was holding for emphasis.

"Maybe I'll save the rest for later," Cloud said. "Hate to waste food, especially if you're paying."

"Hey, it's no big deal," dismissed Zack. "I'm just happy to spend time with you."

Cloud felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He always found it interesting how Zack was able to say things like that so easily.

"Yeah. I...am too."

"We never got a whole lot of time to hang out before," recalled Zack. "I mean, unless you count that stretch where you had mako poisoning and I was taking care of you." Trying to make light of the subject, Zack continued. "Gotta say, you didn't make the most interesting company."

Cloud laughed. "Sorry to be so boring," he joked. "Must have been so hard for you, having to look after me all the time."

"Oh, yeah," agreed Zack, playing along. "Making me carry you around everywhere? Unbelievable."

"Good thing I can take care of myself now," Cloud remarked. "Gives me more time to be your friend."

"I'd like that."

The two of them chatted their way through the rest of their meal, Cloud managing to actually finish his food. A check was brought, which Zack snatched up before Cloud could get a look at it.

"Really, I got it," Zack assured. "I told you this was my treat. Besides," he added, eyeing the total, "you're a pretty cheap date."

 _It's just an expression_ , Cloud reminded himself when he jolted at the word "date". Even so, he couldn't resist questioning Zack's word choice.

"'Date,' huh?" teased Cloud. "Does that mean this is a date?"

"Hmm." Zack tilted his head to the side. "I dunno. Maybe."

Cloud was more than a little surprised. He hadn't expected a serious response to his teasing. On one hand, he wished he'd kept his mouth shut, but on the other hand, he felt like he might be onto something.

"Zack...?" Cloud crossed his arms, looking for an explanation.

Zack only grinned, fishing out a handful of gil and leaving it on the table. "Come on, let's go."

Cloud followed Zack out, slightly irritated now that Zack was playing with him.

"You can't just say something like that and then shut up," Cloud told Zack, catching his arm and bringing him to a halt once they were outside. "Pretty sure that qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment."

"That's harsh." He shrugged, slipping out of Cloud's grip.

"I'm serious." Cloud crossed his arms. "Did you really mean that?"

"About it being a date?" Zack slipped his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, I guess."

"No, I mean...did you want it to be a date?"

Zack considered. "Did you, Cloud?"

"I...yeah," Cloud admitted. "Sorry...if that's weird, I just thought-"

Zack cut Cloud off. "Shh. Then it's a date, yeah?"

"Yeah," agreed Cloud. "We're...on a date," he repeated, trying to come to terms with the reality of the statement.

"Did you want to stop anywhere else before I take you back?" offered Zack. "I've got time to spare."

"I...think I'm good."

"Then let's get you home."

Zack set off for 7th Heaven, which was still several blocks away, with Cloud in tow. He could tell that Cloud was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he was on a date. A date hadn't been Zack's intention back when he'd originally extended the invitation, but now, years later, he had repeated the same offer- just with slightly different implications.

He'd always liked Cloud. Had Zack not been seeing Aerith at the time of their introduction, he wondered if he might have even been interested in Cloud from the start. They'd been fast friends, and Zack had found Cloud's personality endearing.

It wasn't a lie when Zack had told Cloud that he wasn't looking for anyone- he already had his eyes set on a certain blue-eyed, spiky-haired blond.

He didn't figure that Cloud would feel the same way- since he was living with Tifa, Zack initially assumed the two were an item. Even after learning otherwise, Zack just figured that Cloud wasn't interested in seeing anyone- he'd even told him as much while they were eating.

Needless to say, both of them were surprised with their current situation. It was quite some time before either of them said anything.

It was Cloud who broke the silence. "I thought you said you weren't interested in dating," he said. "So what's all this about?"

"Mm...that's not what I said," Zack clarified. "I told you I wasn't looking for anyone."

"Still...if you aren't looking for anyone, then wh-"

"Because of you, Cloud."

"Because of- oh." Realization set in as Cloud finally figured out why Zack had agreed that their little outing was, in fact, a date. "I...didn't know you felt that way."

"If it's any consolation, I don't think I even knew until not that long ago," offered Zack. "Guess we're both a little slow on the uptake, huh?"

"Guess so."

Cloud realized they were coming up on 7th Heaven, and couldn't help but wish that he didn't have to leave. He had so many questions for Zack now, and leaving them unanswered wasn't going to be good enough.

"Well, this is your stop," Zack stated, stopping in front of the bar. "Guess this is where we part ways."

"Yeah." Cloud tried to come up with something worthwhile to say, but there were so many thoughts scrambling around in his brain that he couldn't pick just one to put into words. "I...had a good time. Thanks for lunch."

"No sweat." Zack nodded politely. "I had fun."

"You're welcome to swing by whenever you have time," offered Cloud. "Just let me know."

"I'll hold you to that," Zack said, turning to leave.

"Hey, Zack."

Zack halted, looking over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Next time...I'll buy."

"Next time, huh?" Zack turned back around to face Cloud again. "Did you just ask me out?"

Cloud felt his ears go red, but answered anyway. "I...yeah. I did. So..." he prompted, crossing his arms, "how 'bout it?"

Zack laughed, admiring Cloud's newfound boldness. "I'll take you up on that," he decided. "Fill me in later, all right?"

"You got it." Cloud grinned. "See you soon."

Zack sent him off with a wave, walking away and eventually disappearing down the street.

Stepping inside 7th Heaven, Cloud closed the door behind himself, leaning against it and sighing.

"Holy shit," he muttered. "I just went on a date with _Zack Fair_."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! sorry this one took so long, between trying to beat ff7 and some personal issues it didn't come out as soon as i planned, but here it is! hope you enjoy


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cloud has a nightmare and zack is a Good Pal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> crisis core spoilers at the beginning (although everyone knows how it ends right? anyway if you're reading this fic and somehow don't know how everything goes down you can skip the italic bits)

_Rain._

_It's everywhere, seeping through his clothes, soaking into the earth, permeating the air with its clean, metallic scent._

_Cloud continues dragging himself along the wet ground, still too weak to stand. It's a wonder he has any strength at all, after being nearly paralyzed for so long._

_The first thing he'd seen when he came to was Zack, walking directly into a massive number of Shinra gunmen. Zack's skilled with a sword, that much Cloud knows, but he seriously doubts his ability to defend himself against hundreds of men with guns._

I have to find Zack, he's in trouble, oh, gods, where is he?

_Cloud crawls around frantically, trying to get himself to higher ground to get a good vantage point. He crawls and crawls, for what seems like forever, until he passes a rock formation and sees a dark figure splayed out on the ground._

_He scrambles over as fast as he can, which is a frustratingly slow pace, and it's Zack lying there, still._

_His head turns slightly and there's a rush of relief when Cloud realizes Zack's still alive, which is quickly choked out once Cloud processes the severity of his condition._

_There's blood. There's so much blood. It's everywhere, painting the ground red, making dark blossoms through Zack's fatigues, streaking down his face and mixing with the rain._

_His sword is on the ground beside him, his hand limp around the hilt. Cloud feels his stomach twist as he realizes that he was right; that even a blade that impressive wouldn't be much use, in the end._

_There's so much Cloud wants to say, but he doesn't know how to say it. He can't form a coherent sentence out of any of his thoughts._

_So he keeps it simple. One word, the first word that's passed his lips in nearly a year, now. The only word that matters._

_"Zack..."_

_He stammers slightly, speaking in a voice so quiet it's just barely audible over the sounds of the raindrops hitting the cliffside._

_Zack shifts ever so slightly, groaning in pain as he does so. He tilts his head forward towards Cloud with as much effort as he can exert._

_"For the...both of us," he says._

_Cloud knows Zack's speaking to him, but the way he's looking at him is all wrong, like he's looking through him._

_"Both...of us?" repeats Cloud, unsure if Zack knows what he's talking about in his current state._

_"That's right," affirms Zack, still offering no clue as to what he means. "You're gonna..."_

_Cloud's body tenses with fear as Zack trails off._ No, no, you have to keep going, _he pleads internally, and is offered mild relief when Zack continues._

_"You're gonna..." Zack repeats. He feebly lifts his arm out towards Cloud, bringing his gloved hand to rest at the nape of Cloud's neck._

_Zack pulls Cloud's head down onto his chest, gently running his fingers through his hair. "Live," he says, finally._

_Cloud takes a moment to collect himself as he's hunched over Zack. The slow fingers in his hair are a calming gesture, tender, even. It might have been an intimate moment, had the circumstances been different._

_He can hear Zack's heart, which was thankfully still beating, but weakly so. Cloud is overwhelmed with the terror of wondering how much time Zack has left._

_"You'll be..." Zack says, his voice calm and even despite his condition, "my living legacy."_

_The hand in Cloud's hair drops to the ground, limp like a ragdoll. Slowly, Cloud lifts his head, his face warm and painted red with blood._

_There's a long silence where Cloud can only look at Zack. Zack offers him a smile, and it's pained, but soft, comforting even._

_He looks off to the side, and Cloud follows his eyes over to the sword clutched in Zack's right hand. "My honor..." he says, lifting the hilt and passing it slowly in Cloud's direction, "my dreams..."_

_Cloud eyes the sword, unsure if he should take it. He knows it's special to Zack, and he doesn't know if he'd feel right bearing that kind of weight._

_"They're yours now," Zack says, with more conviction than he's bothered with for anything else he's said so far. His tone convinces Cloud, slowly, but surely, to accept Zack's offer._

_Cloud wraps both hands around the grip, shaking Zack's hand away. "I'm your...living legacy."_

_Zack softens, this time offering a genuine smile._

_And then, he closes his eyes._

_Cloud wants to shake him, to shout at him to wake up, but he knows it's no use._

_Zack's gone. There's nothing he can do about it. He was alive, and now he isn't. Simple as that._

_Cloud feels like he can't breathe. He sputters a little, letting out choked sobs as the rain starts coming down harder._

_And he looks to the sky and lets loose a scream that consumes his entire body. Screams at the powers that be for letting Zack die, screams at Shinra for turning on one of their own men and murdering him in cold blood._

_Cloud's vision goes hazy, and he feels himself swooning forward. Everything goes black before he hits the ground._

Just like that, Cloud was wide awake in his own bed, curled up in a ball and breathing rapidly.

 _So, the old dreams are back, huh,_ he thought, trying to catch his breath. _It's been a while._

He supposed it was natural for his old recurring nightmare to pay him a visit now that Zack was back in his life. Though he was thankfully very much alive, Cloud couldn't easily forget the years where he thought Zack was dead.

Even so, he needed reassurance. Cloud straightened out and reached for his nightstand, where his cell phone was plugged in. Pulling it off the charger, he flipped open the display, cringing at the bright light in his eyes.

He typed out a quick text to Zack.

_You awake?_

Sending the message, Cloud rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. The images of a bloodied, dying Zack were fading with every minute, and Cloud wished dearly to be able to forget them entirely.

While he was pondering this, Cloud's phone buzzed in his hand. He let out a little sigh of relief, knowing Zack was up.

 _I am now,_ the message read. _What's up?_

Cloud decided he'd rather hear Zack's voice than simply exchange text messages, so he called him.

Zack picked up fairly quickly. "Hey," he greeted, clearly still half asleep. "Everything okay?"

"I guess." Cloud yawned. "Just needed to hear your voice."

"Cute," teased Zack. "But seriously, are you all right? You gotta have some reason for calling in the middle of the night."

"I...ah- bad dream," he admitted.

"It was about me, wasn't it."

"Yeah." Cloud turned onto his side. "Used to get them all the time after I got my memory back. It's been a while since the last time...guess I thought they were over with."

"I get 'em too, y'know."

Cloud figured he shouldn't be surprised. Being shot to death, he supposed, was probably a pretty traumatic experience. Hell, he hadn't even been the one on the receiving end of all those bullets, and he'd still been massively affected.

"Makes sense," responded Cloud.

"Do you need me to come over there?" Zack asked. "Just say the word."

"Zack, it's late," reasoned Cloud. "You don't need to."

Although he denied Zack's offer, Cloud did think that it might be nice to have some sort of physical proof that Zack was really alive, that this wasn't just another part of the dream he'd been having. He found himself hoping that Zack would insist.

And Zack, being Zack, was true to Cloud's wishes. "It's really no big deal," he assured. "I won't bother anyone."

"If... you're sure," Cloud answered, caving. He didn't want to create a hassle for Zack, but he did crave the company. "Just keep it discreet, yeah?"

"Not a problem," Zack said, calmly. "I'll be in and out and no one will have been any the wiser. Any specific place you want me to meet you?"

"Just...come around the back, I guess. I'll hang out downstairs until you get here."

"I'll shoot you a text once I make it over. See you in a few."

The call disconnected. Cloud shook off his blankets, sitting up and subsequently getting to his feet. He crept out of his room, taking care not to tread over the parts of the floor that he knew were liable to creak. Turning the handle with painstaking caution, Cloud opened the door to the stairwell, making his way down to the first floor.

Tifa had long since closed up for the night, leaving the bar eerily empty. Cloud took a seat at one of the barstools, idly resting his head in his hands.

It was ten minutes later when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Although he was almost certain it was Zack, Cloud checked his messages anyway.

 _I'm around back_ was all it said.

Treading lightly, Cloud made his way to the back door, opening it as quietly as he could. He was greeted with a sleepy smile from Zack.

"Glad you made it," Cloud told Zack, joining him outside in the cool night air. He gently closed the door behind himself and took a seat on the concrete steps, Zack following suit.

"How are you doing?" Zack asked, gently.

"I think...I'm all right," answered Cloud, after some consideration. "It's just...gods, Zack, I don't even know where to begin." He sighed, frustrated. "You coming back, out of the blue like this...it's great, don't get me wrong, and I still can't believe that you're even alive, but..." He took a moment, trying to calm his rambling. "When I see you, there are times when I can only see the you back on that cliff over Midgar. It's like...you're too good to be true. I left you to _die_ , Zack...and you still came back to me. Who am I, to deserve that?"

"Don't talk like that." Zack was clearly upset that Cloud was having such a hard time being around him. "None of that stuff was your fault, and I don't regret what I did back then. Matter of fact, I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"What...makes me so special?"

Zack feigned offense at the statement. "You?" he repeated. "Well, you're my friend, Cloud...my best friend, even. That's what friends do- they have each other's backs."

"I guess..." began Cloud. "I...I just don't want to deal with losing you again."

"And you won't have to." Zack moved over to put his arm around Cloud's shoulders, and was surprised when Cloud leaned all the way into him.

Stunned, but touched nonetheless, Zack accepted the embrace, running a comforting hand up and down Cloud's back.

Cloud lifted his head from Zack's shoulder just long enough to say "I really, really missed you."

Zack ruffled his fingers through Cloud's hair. "Yeah. I missed you, too."

They remained like that for a while in silence, Zack's hand in Cloud's hair and Cloud gripping at the material of Zack's shirt.

Cloud was the one to pull away first, fingertips lightly brushing Zack's arm as he did so. He was taken by surprise when Zack expertly caught his hand, hooking him by his pinky before slipping his own hand into Cloud's.

Zack was amused at the helpless expression Cloud was wearing. "This is allowed, right?" he asked. "Need I remind you, we did just go on a date."

When no response came, Zack thought it might be wise to release his hold- and was quickly subjected to an iron grip from the fingers interlocking his own. "Guess there's my answer," he said, smiling.

"Zack?" prompted Cloud, speaking for the first time in a little while.

"Yeah?"

"Can we just... stay here a while?"

The night air had a chill to it, and the steps didn't provide the most comfortable seating, but there was nowhere Zack would rather be than there, with Cloud.

"'Course we can," came Zack's voice, running his thumb over Cloud's knuckles.

Though Zack may have died in Cloud's dreams, the Zack in the real world was very much alive, tenderly stroking Cloud's hand like a promise.

Cloud looked out at the night sky, thinking only one thing.

_I could definitely get used to this._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just so you guys know how dedicated i am to this fic, i wrote out most of this chapter in a notebook while i was in the hospital and wasn't allowed on my phone/laptop (everything is fine with me btw!! don't worry)  
> i am determined to keep this story going and this fic is my BABY and i have big things planned, so stay tuned!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack and cloud go on their first date where both of them actually realize that they're on a date, and run into a familiar face while they're at it.

**"** Wow."

Zack had been promised a date, and he and Cloud had finally found the time to go out. The location they had chosen was another restaurant- nothing too upscale, this was Edge, after all- but apparently nice enough that Cloud had dressed for the occasion.

"You clean up nice," Zack complimented, admiring Cloud's outfit. He was dressed in a black button-down with the sleeves rolled to the elbows, accompanied by light gray pants and short black boots. Zack had always known Cloud to dress in monochrome, so the look suited him well.

"And you don't look too shabby yourself," returned Cloud. Zack wore a navy sweater unbuttoned over a white V-neck, slim black pants, and a practical pair of brown boots.

The pair entered the venue, greeted by a friendly woman as they entered. "How many tonight?" she asked, with an enthusiastic smile.

"Just the two of us," Zack informed her, holding up two fingers to further illustrate his statement. As he gestured, his other hand settled at the small of Cloud's back- a comforting presence, to remind him that they were there together.

 _Together_. They were _together_ now.

Cloud still had a hard time wrapping his mind around that reality. The fact that Zack was _his_ was very new to him. The weeks following Zack's return had certainly been eventful, but Cloud hadn't expected them to lead to a relationship.

Not that he minded, though.

Just because he could, Cloud caught Zack's hand as the two were led to a table, slipping his fingers into the spaces between Zack's. He was met with a reassuring squeeze of his hand, just before the two broke apart to sit down.

The hostess led them to a booth, setting down two menus and returning to go about her business. Zack picked one of them up, thumbing through it.

"Feel like drinking tonight?" asked Zack. "It is a special occasion, after all."

"Maybe." Cloud shrugged. "Nothing too sophisticated. Did you have something in mind?"

"Eh, maybe just a beer or two. Like you said, nothing fancy."

"Sounds fine to me, too."

The two continued to chatter idly as they waited for a waitress to arrive and take their drink orders. At some point, Zack nabbed one of Cloud's feet, trapping it between his own. Cloud countered with a soft kick in the shin.

A girl with short, dark hair made her way to the table, toting a notepad. "Hi, I'm Yuffie, and I'll be your waitress t-" She froze. "Cloud?!"

"Hey," greeted Cloud, grinning. "It's been a while. Didn't know you worked here."

"Just part time," Yuffie explained. "Trying to scrape up some extra gil for school and all that."

"Gotcha." Cloud nodded towards Zack. "This is-"

"We've...met, actually," interrupted Zack, eyeing Yuffie curiously.

Cloud raised an eyebrow, skeptically. "You have?"

Yuffie squinted at Zack. "Come to think of it, you do seem familiar..." She thought for a bit, and her eyes went wide. "You're one of the guys from Shinra!" she exclaimed. "I remember you from Fort Tamblin! I _totally_ kicked your ass," she reminded him, placing her hands on her hips and looking satisfied with herself.

Cloud cast Zack a questioning gaze. Zack shook his head, subtly enough that he hoped Yuffie wouldn't notice.

"No hard feelings...?" Zack asked, awkwardly.

"Nah, it's cool." Yuffie crossed her arms. "That was ages ago."

"Good to hear." Zack held out a hand, offering a truce. "I'm Zack. Good to meet you properly."

Yuffie took his hand, shaking it firmly. "Yuffie Kisaragi," she said.

"Wutai's greatest warrior," recalled Zack.

Yuffie seemed to swell with pride at the title. "Don't you forget it," she told him. "Anyway, I should probably get you guys' drink orders, since that's what I came over here to do."

Zack ordered a beer for each of them. Yuffie jotted the order down on her pad and disappeared.

"That was...interesting," Cloud remarked. "What's this I hear about you getting your ass kicked by Yuffie?"

Zack rolled his eyes, laughing. "Oh, come on. She was like, nine. I just let her think that she beat me up so she'd leave me alone and I could finish my mission." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "So, then, how did you meet her?"

"Couple years ago, before all that business with Sephiroth. She jumped us in a forest and stole some of our gil," Cloud answered. "Oh, and not to mention the time we passed through Wutai and she bolted with all of our materia. She's obsessed with the stuff."

"At least she's mellowed out," Zack offered.

"Only a little. Thankfully, her thieving days seem to be over."

"That's good." Zack picked up his menu again. "We should probably figure out what to order before she comes back."

Cloud reached for his menu in silent agreement. After some deliberation, he settled on a grilled chicken breast that looked particularly appetizing.

Yuffie returned shortly to take the pair's orders. She left as quickly as she came, leaving Cloud and Zack to chat and drink as they waited for their dinner to arrive.

Zack carried the conversation, but Cloud didn't mind much. He was busy watching him fuss over the things he talked about. It was fun to watch Zack tell about something he was really interested in- he was a big hand-talker, expressive, too. He didn't seem to notice that Cloud had zoned out watching him.

Cloud wasn't sure how long it had been since he and Zack had ordered (or at what point a second round of drinks had arrived), but before he knew it, Yuffie had returned and hot plates of food were set before them. Zack wasted no time tearing into the steak he'd apparently ordered.

"Thanks," Cloud said to Yuffie, nudging Zack with his foot and urging him to thank her as well. Zack provided a nod and a thumbs up, given that his mouth was already full.

Yuffie made a show of rolling her eyes at Zack, but smiled good-naturedly as she walked off.

"Looks good," commented Cloud, carefully cutting his meat into a few small pieces.

"Tastes good, too," confirmed Zack, his speech muffled by a mouthful of food.

"Chew your food, you animal," Cloud scolded, teasingly. "You'll choke."

Zack took a moment to properly chew and swallow, as Cloud requested. "How's yours?" he asked.

"See for yourself." Cloud stabbed a bite of chicken with his fork, waving it in front of Zack's mouth until he opened it.

Zack chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "It's good," he decided. "Wanna try mine?"

"Sure."

Zack held his fork out and let Cloud take a bite, grinning smugly at the fact that Cloud was actually letting him feed him like that. He found himself suddenly struck by the thought that this was the sort of thing couples do...that he and Cloud were acting like a real couple. The truth in that was immensely satisfying.

In the end, Zack was left waiting on Cloud to finish eating, which was unsurprising considering Zack practically inhaled his dinner. At some point, Yuffie had dropped a check off at their table, which Cloud had snatched before Zack could get his hands on it.

"I promised to pay," Cloud reminded Zack, who was side-eyeing him. "I'm gonna keep up my end of the deal."

"What was my end, exactly?" questioned Zack.

"Agreeing to go out with me tonight." Cloud fought back the mischievous grin attempting to spread across his face. "You did your part, now I'm doing mine."

"Fair enough." Zack watched as Cloud counted out the proper amount of gil, setting aside a generous tip for Yuffie. Feeling sentimental about the girl he'd met so many years ago, Zack dug around in his pockets, coming up with a small handful of gil to contribute to Cloud's pile.

Cloud smacked Zack's hand away, but he persisted. "For Yuffie," he explained, setting his money on the table. "The bill's all yours, Spike."

"I guess I'll allow it," permitted Cloud, pretending to be annoyed at Zack's nickname, but actually finding it sort of cute. He slid out of the booth, getting to his feet. "Shall we?"

"Guess so." Zack got up, following Cloud away from the table and towards the exit. He slipped his fingers between Cloud's as they left, the gesture being met with a gentle, comforting squeeze.

Zack found himself thinking about how he hadn't had a hand to hold in quite some time. All things considered, he was glad that this hand just happened to belong to Cloud.

"Thanks for dinner," Zack told Cloud as the two walked out of the restaurant. "It was awesome. Wouldn't mind coming back here sometime with you."

"I'd like that, too," Cloud answered, offering a genuine smile. He enjoyed the prospect of being able to go on even more dates with Zack.

After a few seconds, Cloud realized that Zack was watching him with sudden interest. "What is it?" he asked. "You're staring."

"Sorry...it's just- you ever noticed that you get dimples when you smile really big?" Zack questioned, as he stopped walking.

"Really?" Cloud halted, touching his face. "Guess not."

"Well, it's more on just the one side," corrected Zack. "Right about...here."

Zack gave Cloud a quick peck on the cheek, about an inch to the left of his mouth, taking him completely by surprise.

Cloud felt his face growing hot where Zack's lips had been just seconds before. That was about the last thing he'd been expecting from Zack. Normally, he'd have been too shocked to say much, but Cloud had had just enough to drink during dinner (and was just enough of a lightweight) for him to be a little more bold.

"Hey...you missed," he said to Zack, plainly.

Zack crossed his arms, confused. "Huh?"

"You missed," repeated Cloud. "My mouth...it's over here."

And, getting even with Zack for catching him off guard, Cloud tilted Zack's chin downward and, standing on tiptoe, kissed him full on the lips.

He felt Zack go still under him, not even breathing. Clearly, Cloud had surprised him, too.

Cloud pulled away, the hand that was on Zack's face dropping to his side. He watched Zack open his eyes, staring back at him with interest.

"You are _way_ more tipsy than I thought you were," Zack chided, grinning.

"I'm fine," insisted Cloud, trying to suppress the giggling that was threatening to spill out.

"You are also a horrible liar," added Zack. "And that's sayin' something, coming from me."

Cloud smiled, pleased with himself. "Wanna try that again?" he asked, grabbing Zack around the waist and tugging him closer.

Zack answered by framing Cloud's jaw with battle-roughened hands, drawing a line down Cloud's cheek with his thumb as he pressed their mouths together.

A smile spread across Cloud's lips as Zack kissed him. This time was more natural, more deliberate than Cloud's sneak attack of sorts- gentler, too.

They finally broke apart, staring at each other for a few moments. Zack pulled Cloud into a full embrace, brushing a strand of blond hair out of his face. "Thanks for giving me such a great first date."

"Second date," corrected Cloud. "Last time totally counted. I thought we agreed that."

"That's right," Zack remembered. "Two dates already?"

"I can't believe it, either," Cloud admitted. "Everything seems like it's happening so fast."

"Agreed." Zack lowered his voice slightly. "And you know what they say about third dates..." he added, winking.

Cloud elbowed Zack in the ribs, not really intending to hurt him, just to scold him for the remark. "You are _terrible_ ," he told Zack in mock exasperation.

"You're stuck with me now," Zack reminded Cloud, sporting a very self-satisfied grin.

Cloud softened, taking Zack's hand once more. "Come on. Let's go home."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm alive!! sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, i lost motivation for a bit and between my job and the holidays felt like i had no time to work on this but here i am! hope you like this chapter, i had fun writing it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cloud has his first bad day in a while. tifa steps in and prescribes him some good old zack therapy (fair-apy?) emotionally heavy things are discussed. oh and zack flips the fuck out about cloud's Sick Ass Bike

"Rough day, huh?"

Tifa opened the door to Cloud's room. He hadn't come down for breakfast, and it was already well after lunch. Concerned, she had decided to make sure he was doing all right.

Cloud was awake, but still in bed, wearing the clothes he'd worn the day before. Judging by the dark circles under his eyes, he hadn't slept well, if at all. Hearing Tifa's voice, he lifted his head, turning towards her.

"Guess so." He sat himself up, stretching out his neck. "Haven't been this bad in a while. Not really sure where this came from."

"It happens." Tifa took a step forward. "Can I come in?"

"Sure."

She obliged, making her way to Cloud's bed and seating herself next to him. "Is there anything in particular that's bugging you?"

"I don't think so," denied Cloud. "I think today's just a low day."

"Did something happen with Zack?" Tifa asked.

"No, Zack and I are doing great." Cloud seemed to lighten up a little at the mention of Zack's name.

"That's good to hear." Tifa made a show of cracking her knuckles. "You know what I'd have to do otherwise."

Cloud offered a smile, subtle but genuine. "Yeah, I do. And I'm pretty sure he does, too. Hopefully you'll never have to deal with him."

"Speaking of Zack," Tifa began, "you never did tell me about your date. I want all the details."

"It was really nice," Cloud told Tifa. "Food was good, conversation wasn't boring...oh, and Yuffie was there."

"Yuffie?" repeated Tifa, obviously trying to work out how she'd gotten into the picture.

"She was our waitress," explained Cloud. "Apparently she and Zack have a history. Guess she was at Fort Tamblin back when Shinra sent troops out there, towards the end of the war with Wutai. She told me that she kicked Zack's ass, but Zack remembers that going a little differently."

"That's too funny," remarked Tifa, laughing. "Small world, I guess."

"Guess so. I don't think she figured out that we were on a date, or maybe she just wasn't interested enough to find out. But it was a pretty good night, all things considered. I...also might have gotten a little tipsy, and-”

"Please tell me that you kissed him."

Cloud nodded, a little sheepish.

"Good for you!" exclaimed Tifa, clasping her hands together in excitement. "Although I hope for Zack's sake that you've gotten better at kissing."

"Oh, give me a break," Cloud protested. "We were what, seven? Any seven year old would be an awful kisser."

"You were eight," Tifa corrected. "And it must not have sucked that bad, because Zack didn't dump you or anything."

She squeezed an embarrassed-looking Cloud's shoulder. "I'm glad you had fun. It's good for you to get out and do stuff like that. It'll help keep you from feeling down as often."

"Yeah, I know," agreed Cloud. "I just needed some alone time today, I think."

"Nothing wrong with that," Tifa assured. "Maybe you should call Zack? Talking to him would probably lift your spirits."

Cloud shook his head. "I tried...just voicemail. He's out on a job, I'd guess. Won't be done until later."

"Gotcha. Well, you know I'm always here for you, Cloud. Don't be afraid to talk to me if you need to."

"Thanks, Tifa."

To Tifa's surprise, Cloud shifted over, leaning his head against hers. Smiling softly, she ruffled through his hair with her fingers, just as she would do with Denzel. Cloud seemed to relax from the gesture, exhaling deeply.

"Can you promise me you'll at least shower and get something to eat?" Tifa asked. "You need to take care of yourself."

"I think I can handle that." Cloud got to his feet, stretching once more. "I'm glad I have you to look out for me. Don't know what I'd do without you some days."

"And I'm glad you're back home to stay," Tifa responded, standing up. "It's good that you're done doing all that running around. We missed you."

She turned to leave, giving Cloud a friendly peck on the cheek as she passed. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."

Cloud watched his bedroom door shut behind Tifa, feeling a bit better. No matter how badly he wanted to hide under the covers for the rest of the day, he was determined now to keep his promise to Tifa, if only for her sake. So he took a quick shower, dressed himself in some clean clothes, and grabbed a bite to eat from the kitchen downstairs.

Feeling a little refreshed, Cloud stepped out the back door of 7th Heaven, making his way down the steps and into the alley behind the bar. Surveying his surroundings, he caught a glimpse of Fenrir, parked in its usual spot.

Cloud approached the bike, running his hand over the upholstered leather seat. It had been a while since he'd been able to ride Fenrir for non-work-related purposes, and the longer he stood near it, the more he was itching to take it for a ride.

Deciding to indulge himself, Cloud returned inside, heading back upstairs to his room and rummaging through his desk drawer until he found his key. He pocketed it, making his way back downstairs and was halfway to the door before he crossed paths with Tifa.

"Heading out?" she asked.

"Yeah. Think I'm gonna take the bike out for a while."

"That's good." Tifa smiled. "Some fresh air will be good for you. Be safe, all right?"

"Will do." Cloud headed for the door. "See you later."

Walking up to Fenrir, Cloud fished the key out of his pocket and disengaged the kickstand. He mounted the bike, inserting the key into the ignition and enjoying the sensation of Fenrir rumbling to life under him as he started the engine.

Kicking off the ground, Cloud sped away down the alley, savoring the familiar feeling of the wind in his hair. The city of Edge flew past him at breakneck speed as he rode by, almost making him feel as if he was flying.

Cloud rode, not really having a set course in mind and just going wherever he felt the bike wanted him to go. Somehow or another, he'd ended up at the old church in Sector 5.

Aerith's church.

It had been a while since Cloud had paid her a visit. He figured now was as good a time as any.

Dismounting, Cloud made his way up the steps, pulling open the front door and stepping inside.

The church was the same as ever, if not a bit more well kept. Ever since the geostigma outbreak had ended, people who had been cured of the disease by Aerith's blessing came to the church to honor her, so the regular visitors usually saw to it that the place was well kept.

Right now, however, the church was empty, save for Cloud himself. He was thankful to be alone- the less people around to distract him, the more in touch he could be with Aerith.

Cloud walked up the aisle to the front of the church, past the flowerbed that Aerith had tended to when she was alive. He paused for a moment to view the flowers, but continued until he reached his destination- the Buster Sword.

It was still there, firmly lodged in the floor just as Cloud had left it. He knelt, running his fingertips over the hilt as if he was greeting an old friend.

Cloud seated himself against the butt of the blade, feeling the cool metal on his back. He closed his eyes for a moment, lost in thought.

A light breeze swept in through the hole in the roof, smelling faintly of flowers. Cloud took that as a sign that Aerith was here- watching, listening.

The creak of the heavy wooden door at the front of the church jolted Cloud from his reverie. Opening his eyes, he saw a silhouette standing in the doorway, bathed in the late afternoon sun. As the figure entered the church, Cloud realized that the visitor was none other than Zack.

"Hey," Zack called, holding up a hand in greeting.

Cloud waved back in response. "I thought you were working," he said.

"I'm done for the day. Tifa called me, actually. Seemed to think I'd find you here. Guess she was right."

Zack closed the distance, about to take a seat beside Cloud when he noticed what he was using to support himself.

He touched the hilt. "Is this...?"

"The very same." Cloud shifted to the side so Zack could get a good look at his old battle companion.

"I can't believe you kept it all this time," marveled Zack, squatting so he could further examine the sword. "And it's still in such good shape."

"It's gotten me through more fights than I can count." Cloud cracked a smile. "As far as hand-me-downs go, you sure know how to pick 'em."

"I do my best." Zack took a seat beside Cloud.

"Thanks for coming," Cloud said, returning to seriousness. "I've had sort of a low day."

"Happens to the best of us." Zack took a seat beside Cloud. "It's good that you're out of the house, at least."

"Yeah. I come here a lot. Used to sleep here sometimes, even." Cloud hugged his knees toward his chest. "That was a long time ago. Before I finally forgave myself...for her...and you."

Zack placed a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "Sounds like you've come a long way," he said, reassuringly. "It's not easy to move on. You probably know that better than anyone."

"Guess so." Cloud shifted his gaze to the modest flower bed near what would have been the altar. "You know...this is where we first met- Aerith and I."

Zack blinked in disbelief. "No kidding?"

"Yeah. I sorta fell through the roof after a mako reactor collapsed. Talk about making an entrance."

"That's crazy," Zack remarked. "Because we met pretty much the exact same way."

"Falling through the roof after getting knocked below the plate from a reactor explosion?"

"Well, the reactor didn't explode, but yeah. Pretty much."

The two shared a laugh at the striking similarities of their first encounter with a certain late flower girl. It really was quite uncanny how they'd managed to perform the same feat twice.

"Lucky girl, Aerith," Zack said, a bit wistfully. "I mean, she had two eligible bachelors literally fall from the sky. Most people would be pretty fortunate just to end up with one."

Cloud smiled at Zack's remark, but could sense that his humor was a little forced.

"You miss her." A statement, not a question.

"Well, of course." Zack nodded. "Just like I'm sure you do. And both of us probably always will, but..."

He trailed off. "She's not gone...not really."

"So you can feel her, too."

Cloud knew how it was supposed to work, just like everyone else. You live, you die, your spirit returns to the Lifestream, nurturing the Planet and all that inhabits it. But Aerith's presence in the Lifestream was particularly strong, be it due to her people's close bond with the Planet or simply because she was so rich in spirit. And here, in the run-down little church in the slums of Sector 5, was where she felt closest.

"Do you think this is...weird?" asked Cloud, after a moment. "Us being here, now that we're together and all. Something about it just seems...off."

"You asking if I think that's an insult to her memory?" Zack questioned, pondering his answer for a bit. "No...at least, I don't feel like she'd think that. Knowing her, she'd probably want both of us to be happy, don't you think?"

"Yeah...guess you're right." Cloud looked over at Zack. "And I am happy. With you, I mean. I feel...like myself. I haven't felt that for a long time."

"I'm the same way," Zack answered. "I would have come to you sooner if I could. I missed everyone, but I might have missed you just a little bit more than the rest."

"Glad to know I'm special," Cloud piped up. He got to his feet, navigating through the detritus of the church to the flower bed, the same one that had broken both his and Zack's falls years before.

He knelt, reaching out to delicately touch one of the flowers nearest him.

 _Thank you._ A silent thought- bordering on a prayer.

Hearing Zack's quiet footfalls reaching him, Cloud drew himself up to his full height. "I think...I'm ready to go," he said, turning to face Zack.

"I'm good if you are," agreed Zack. "But...I do have one favor to ask."

"What's that?" Cloud asked, crossing his arms.

"I need a lift back into the city."

"I...all right." Cloud knit his brows in confusion. "How'd you get here? Don't tell me you walked."

"Nah. Hitched a ride." Zack shrugged. "I don't...actually have a car or anything like that. I do a lot of walking, yeah, but public transportation's also a thing. They've got trains running through Edge like Midgar used to, so those are handy, too."

"I see." Making his way to the exit, Cloud fished his key out of his pocket. "Want me to bring you back with me?" he offered. "Everyone's gonna be at the bar tonight. Drinks are on the house for you," he added, as a little extra temptation.

"Sounds good." Zack opened the door, halting on the steps as he surveyed the area. "So...where's your car?"

"I don't have a car either," explained Cloud, leaving Zack looking more than a little confused. "But," he continued, spinning his keyring around his finger, "I do have this."

He descended the steps, rounding the corner to where Fenrir was parked and hopped on. Kicking its stand off the ground, Cloud turned the key and sparked the bike to life.

Taking a moment to enjoy the look of sheer amazement on Zack's face the moment he caught a glimpse of Fenrir, Cloud stopped in front of the steps, bracing the ground with both feet. "Need a ride, stranger?” he teased.

"If you don't mind, delivery boy," returned Zack. "Cloud. This is a _seriously_ badass bike. Where the hell did you get it?"

"Barter system," Cloud explained, raising his voice so he could be heard over the engine. "Traded it off a regular customer at 7th Heaven in exchange for free drinks for life. If you ask me, I got the better end of the deal. I get to keep Fenrir here," he said, patting the seat, "and he just gets liver damage."

"Fenrir," repeated Zack. "She's a beauty, all right."

"Runs like a dream, too," Cloud added. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

Offering no objection, Zack climbed onto the backseat of the motorcycle, securing his arms around Cloud's midsection.

Once he was sure Zack was settled, Cloud sped off down the alley and back to the main road, towards the city and into the light of the dying sun, all the while extremely aware of the body pressed against his back.

He wasn't sure if he had imagined it or not, but Cloud could swear he heard Zack sigh blissfully over the noise of the bike. The possibility made him smile.

Cloud spent the rest of the ride back to Edge enjoying the time he'd had with Zack, and trying to figure out how he could make the most of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (sorry for self projecting my depression onto you cloud... although have yall SEEN advent children? homeboy is depressed)
> 
> hey, i actually posted another chapter! i had to make myself finish this one because i'm usually working on two or three chapters at a time when i write and somehow the one i work on most is never the next chapter chronologically...  
> that being said, the next chapter is already started and i'm trying to introduce some actual plot into this on top of just zack and cloud's relationship developing so we'll see how that goes.  
> hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack and cloud talk about their feelings and also the logistics of sephiroth's hair.

"You wanna know something?" 

Cloud seated himself next to Zack, who was lounging on the couch in his living room.

"Sure." Zack put an arm around Cloud's shoulders, pulling him close. "What's up?"

"It's...personal," Cloud explained, self-consciously examining his fingernails. "But...it was a long time ago, and...we're dating, I mean, so I guess it shouldn't be that weird to admit."

He sighed. "The thing is...I'm pretty sure I've liked you since the day I met you."

"That so?" Zack turned his head to look at Cloud. "Tell me more."

"When I first joined Shinra, I was alone," continued Cloud. "My unit was full of a bunch of other guys like me- moving to the city to try to make a name for themselves, y'know?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "I just felt like...I wasn't as good as the rest of them. I never got picked for any missions, aside from routine training stuff...until Modeoheim."

"Of course." Zack nodded. "The day I met you."

"That's the one." Cloud grinned. "Pretty eventful day, between the helicopter crash and me nearly getting killed on my first day in the field."

"And meeting me, of course," added Zack.

"Yes, you, Mr. 'Backwater Expert,'" Cloud agreed, recalling how Zack had immediately bonded with him. "I was...really surprised that you even talked to me," he admitted. "For us grunts, it was basically taboo to even look at you Firsts, aside from taking orders and all that. Were you even aware of your position?"

"Sorta, yeah." Zack ran a hand through his hair. "Even the Seconds and Thirds who I used to hang around with treated me like I was hot shit after I made First. It was weird, like, I was still the same person I always had been...just with a different rank slapped on."

"It's...kind of amazing you made First at the age you did," Cloud pointed out. "All the other Firsts were way older than you. The guys in my group...they all wanted to be you. Me, I was just sort of shocked at the fact that a SOLDIER First-Class went out of his way to make friends with me." He rested his head against Zack's shoulder. "Thanks for that. Made me feel like I actually belonged somewhere for once."

"Hey, I'm glad I did. We wouldn't be here now if I hadn't, right?" He squeezed Cloud's shoulder.

"You know...if I could have had you from the beginning...I would have."

"That might not have been so bad," pondered Zack. "Either way, I'm glad things shaped up to be the way they are now."

"You've...always been so good to me, Zack," Cloud stated, sighing. "You broke me out of Shinra Manor and protected me for almost a whole year. I can't even begin to pay you back for that."

"I never expected anything in return," dismissed Zack. "I just wanted you to stay with me, and I got my wish, didn't I?"

Zack kissed the top of Cloud's head, ruffling his hair with the hand that had been on his shoulder.

"Your hair's getting longer," Zack commented, catching a lock between his fingers. "It doesn't stick out in the back as much as it used to."

"Yeah, it's almost to my shoulders in some places," Cloud told Zack. "Haven't really thought about it lately. I usually have Tifa help me with it, but things have been so busy lately that it hasn't really been a priority."

"I like it," Zack stated. "Trying to copy me?" he teased.

"I dunno. Maybe?" Cloud shrugged. "I guess I haven't messed with it since before you came back. It hasn't been this long in years."

"You always did have it pretty short," recalled Zack.

"Not always," corrected Cloud. "I had longer hair when I was a kid. Used to tie it back, too. I cut it off a while after I joined Shinra because it kept catching on my helmet." He rubbed the back of his neck as if recalling the sensation. "I'd show you a picture or something if I had one, but I lost my old ID card ages ago, and all the photos my mom had of me were back in Nibelheim. I don't have to explain to you why I can't show you those."

"That's a damn shame." Zack's tone was sympathetic. "I bet you were cute."

"Maybe." Cloud smiled. "I've had this same cut for years because I screwed up cutting it myself when I was a cadet. Guess it sort of stuck."

"Nah, you make it work," assured Zack. "I guess I haven't really bothered with my hair much in the last several years. Used to wear it around my face, then it got too long to do that anymore, so I started combing it back. I think part of that was me wanting to be more like Angeal, maybe."

Cloud nodded. "I like it this way better."

"Why's that?" asked Zack, curious.

"It lets me see more of your face." He patted Zack's cheek fondly.

"Smooth," Zack told Cloud, grinning. "But yeah, I like it better too. Low maintenance, y'know? It's a lot easier just to tie it back than having to try and manage it. Guess you could say I've gotten lazy about it."

"Marlene _really_ likes your long hair," Cloud informed Zack. "She wouldn't stop talking about it after she first met you. I don't think she's ever seen a guy have as much hair as you do. I don't know if I have, either," he added.

"I can think of one right off the bat," contradicted Zack.

"Who's that?"

"Sephiroth."

Cloud snickered. "Okay, that's true. I don't think it's fair to put you on that level, though."

"I can't even be offended at that," agreed Zack. "I was friends with the guy, and even I couldn't figure out how he handled all of that."

"It should have at least been inconvenient," Cloud insisted. "I don't understand how the hell he managed to keep all of it, as many fights as he'd been in. Especially as a swordsman, and _especially_ with a sword like his. Between the length of his hair and the reach of his weapon, the chances of him cutting it off by accident should have been pretty high."

"I didn't even think of that," pondered Zack. "Imagine that...the great Sephiroth, stripped of his pride and joy, by his own hand even."

"Sephiroth is terrifying enough, but thinking about him without all the hair is even scarier," Cloud decided.

"Agreed." Zack paused. "It's still odd to me, what happened with him. He used to be so level-headed all the time, and the next thing you know, he's burning down a town and running you through with a sword."

"Not an experience I'd recommend," interjected Cloud, touching his chest where the first wound Sephiroth had given him used to be. "Wish that fall into the reactor would've killed him."

"Yeah, me too."

Cloud nodded in understanding. "So much went down because of Nibelheim. Wonder how things would've been different if that stuff never happened."

"Would've saved both of us a bunch of trouble," Zack said, sounding a bit wistful.

"We're a couple of fucked up people, you and me," stated Cloud. "But things still worked out all right- mostly."

"Don't you forget it."

Zack pulled Cloud into him, neither of them speaking for several moments.

Cloud wrapped both arms around Zack, looking up at him. "I love you," he said, without really thinking about it- it just felt natural in the moment. Those were the words that he'd wanted to say for years, what he'd always been thinking but never quite managed to get out.

Zack's face lit up at hearing Cloud's sudden declaration. "I love you too," he said, with no hesitation.

"I think...part of me always has," Cloud elaborated. "You...you're impossible not to love, you know that?"

"Could say the same for you," replied Zack. "Just 'cause I didn't have eyes for you before doesn't mean I didn't like you. And who knows, things might've been different if I wasn't seeing Aerith then, but what matters is that we're together now."

"All those months that I had mako poisoning...you were my everything," Cloud reminded Zack, after a moment of silence. "It was just you, never anyone else. I couldn't have told you how much I loved you then, so...I'm telling you now, I guess."

He ran his knuckles over Zack's cheek. "It would have been so easy for you to leave me behind and get away on your own. Why didn't you?"

"Because...I loved you too." Zack closed a hand around the one touching his face. "I didn't save you because I felt sorry for you. I did it because it was you. Because I wanted to keep you safe...because it was my fault that you got into that mess."

"Zack," Cloud began, but he was quickly hushed.

"You were all I had then, too," Zack told Cloud. "Angeal was gone, Aerith had given up on trying to get in touch with me...it really was just the two of us. So I guess it follows that I'd have given anything to keep you safe."

"You're too good, you know." He leaned in to kiss Zack, halting momentarily. "And you can't argue that. You literally died for me."

"And I would again," promised Zack, leaning in to meet Cloud's lips.

Cloud broke away, a smile on his face. "Let's just hope you don't have to."

"Yeah," Zack agreed. "That'd be nice."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is mostly a filler chapter while i work on the next bit of plot but i figure you guys won't mind some tooth rotting fluff in the meantime so here you go!
> 
> i finally finished playing crisis core two days ago and the wound is still fresh so that basically spawned this chapter rip


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack has some news. barret makes an appearance. everyone gets drunk.

Slowly but surely, Cloud noticed that his daily routine was beginning to change to include Zack.

If he wasn't able to see him that day, Cloud would usually try to call Zack, even if only for a few minutes. It was rare for Zack to call without giving prior notice, so when Zack called one day out of the blue, Cloud was taken a bit by surprise.

"Hey, you," Cloud answered. "Didn't expect to hear from you. What's up?"

"I've got some news," Zack informed him. He sounded a bit hesitant, and that worried Cloud a little.

"What kind of news?" Curious as to what made Zack sound so uncertain, Cloud pressed further.

"Good and bad, I guess." Zack paused. "So, which part do you wanna hear first?"

"Tell me the good news." Cloud hoped that the bad news wasn't anything devastating.

"Rufus is sending me and a couple other guys on an assignment. Promised it pays well, and it'll help with the rebuilding efforts here around Edge."

"But?"

"It'll take at least two weeks to finish up our work...probably more. And they're sending us all the way out to Mideel."

"Mideel?" repeated Cloud. "Did they rebuild after the place got destroyed?"

"They're working on it, yeah. And since the Lifestream is so close to the surface there, we're supposed to run a bunch of diagnostics to see if we can figure out how to reverse some of the damage that the old mako reactors caused." Zack sighed. "What's left of Shinra's trying to clean up the mess they made. I'm just glad they came around."

"Guess Rufus really did mean all that stuff about the Shinra company owing the Planet for what they did to it," commented Cloud. "So...Mideel. For a couple of weeks. When are they sending you out?"

"Three days from now," Zack informed Cloud. "I'm gonna leave that morning- early. So you've basically got two days left with me...at least, for a while."

"Guess I'll make the most of them, then," remarked Cloud. "I'm...gonna miss you, Zack."

"Yeah..." Zack trailed off. "It's gonna suck, being away from you. Wish you could come with me."

"Hey, you're doing important stuff. Wouldn't want to get in your way."

"But...?”

Cloud paused. "What do you mean?"

"There's something you're not telling me," clarified Zack. "I can hear it in your voice."

"I don't have any problem with you leaving," began Cloud. "It's just..."

"You're worried about me."

Cloud sighed. "I guess I am. I haven't really been away from you for more than a few days since you've been back...haven't wanted to be. I don't mind you leaving, really. But yeah, I'm worried. What if something happens to you?"

"What do you think's gonna happen to me while I'm in Mideel?" asked Zack.

"Conceivably, anything," answered Cloud. "Sorry," he added, quickly. "I'm being paranoid."

"Hey, you have every right to be anxious," Zack assured. "I get it. You lost me once. I won't put you through that again."

"You can't promise me that."

"I can, and I will," vowed Zack. "I'll be fine. If anything at all happens, I'll let you know."

"Thank you...I appreciate it." Cloud switched his cell to his other ear. "I don't mean to be overbearing or anything, I just worry."

"I'd rather have you worry about me than not be concerned at all." Zack's tone was optimistic. "It's good to know you care, y'know."

"Glad you see it that way." Cloud seated himself at the kitchen counter, drumming his fingers on the surface. "Hey, off topic, but what are you doing tonight? Everyone's coming to the bar, Barret's back in Edge. I don't think you've met him yet."

"Can't say I have," Zack confirmed. "Marlene's dad, right?"

"The one and only."

"That's what I thought," continued Zack. "He's got a sweet kid. Wonder if she takes after him?"

Cloud couldn't contain his laughter at the thought of Barret being called "sweet."

"Guess not, then," Zack conjectured. "Anyway, I'd love to come out for drinks. I'll be done with work around eight...how's eight thirty sound?"

"Perfect." Cloud grinned. "See you then."

He hung up, the smile fading from his face. It was still anxiety-inducing, knowing that Zack would be away for so long. Cloud supposed that he felt protective of Zack- which was maybe to be expected after someone quite literally comes back from the dead. With Zack so far out of reach, of course he'd be anxious about it.

Cloud had learned to live without Zack once before. There was some reassurance in the fact that this time wasn't meant to be permanent.

 

* * *

 

 

"How the hell you been?"

Barret greeted Cloud with an enthusiastic slap on the back, which almost made Cloud stumble. Shaking it off, he grinned.

"Not too bad," answered Cloud. "How about you?"

"Been pretty good myself." Barret surveyed the bar. "Is Marlene around?"

"Tifa went to get her." Cloud crossed his arms. "It's been too long. Good to see you again."

"Good to see your spiky ass again, too," Barret replied, which Cloud found to be pretty endearing considering who he was speaking with.

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of someone scampering across the hardwood floors. It was Marlene, running towards her father and being met with wide open arms. Barret scooped her up, kissing her cheek and making her laugh.

"Your beard is scratchy!" exclaimed Marlene, delighted as Barret nuzzled her face.

Tifa had brought Marlene downstairs, but had quickly fallen behind as the young girl reunited with her father. Finally catching up, Tifa made her way to the table where everyone else was. She made a quick note of who all had made it tonight- Cid, Barret and Vincent, and of course Cloud. Reno and Rude declined the invitation, giving work as their excuse. The same could be said for Yuffie. And from what Tifa had heard from Cloud, Zack was supposed to be on his way soon.

Almost as if on cue, the door to 7th Heaven opened and Zack let himself in. He made a beeline for Cloud, approaching him and pulling him into a hug.

"Hey," Cloud greeted, hugging Zack tight. "Glad you made it."

Barret stepped forward, looking Zack over. He turned to Cloud. "This your boy, then?” he asked, as Cloud nodded. Facing Zack once more, Barret continued. "I've heard all about you from Marlene."

Marlene squirmed out of Barret's arms, making her way to Zack.

Zack let Cloud go, taking a knee so he would be on Marlene's level. "Good to see you, kiddo," he said as Marlene threw her arms around his neck.

Barret seemed touched by the scene unfolding before him. "Any friend of my little girl's is a friend of mine," he informed Zack, as Marlene returned to her father's side. He held out a hand. "It's Zack, right?"

Zack moved to return the handshake, quickly raising his left hand instead when he realized that Barret's right hand was not to be found. "Zack Fair," he confirmed. "And you're Barret. Cloud and Marlene have told me all about you."

Releasing Zack's hand, Barret squeezed him on the shoulder. "Thanks for being good to my daughter- and Cloud, too."

Zack nodded, snaking an arm around Cloud's waist and pulling him to his side. "Not a problem," he assured.

"You take good care of him now, y'hear?” Barret stated, nodding in Cloud's direction.

Zack looked fondly down at Cloud. "Don't worry," he told Barret. "I will."

"Glad to hear it." Barret made his way around the table, seating himself beside Cid. "Now, let's get some drinks over here, yeah?"

Cid voiced his approval as Cloud and Zack seated themselves. Tifa arrived shortly after, bringing a round of drinks with her. She stopped briefly to chat, but was still on the job, so she was unable to linger.

Cloud decided to drink in moderation, unlike pretty much everyone except Vincent (who Cloud wasn't sure was even able to get drunk anyways). That meant he was treated to the sight of Barret and his significant other drunkenly bonding over the course of the night. They made an interesting pair, with Zack being a talkative drunk and Barret an emotional one.

After a while, when the majority group had sobered up a bit, people began to disperse. Vincent was the first to leave, quietly bidding his friends goodnight and slipping out the door inconspicuously. Cid followed soon after, although not without a sufficient amount of badgering from Tifa to have Shera take him home since he wasn't fit to get there himself.

"I'm closing up soon," Tifa advised the three that were left. After receiving several nods of acknowledgement, she continued. "You guys are welcome to stick around, though. I'm sure you've got catching up to do."

"Thanks, Tifa, but it's getting to be pretty late," answered Zack. "I should probably get going soon."

"Not by yourself," objected Cloud, noting that Zack still seemed a bit chattery. "You're still drunk, Zack.”

"Mm...yeah, you're right," Zack agreed. "You offering to take me home, then?”

"Planned on it, yeah." Cloud turned to Barret. "Well, it was good seeing you again, but I guess I gotta get this guy's drunk ass home," he said, feigning annoyance.

Barret grabbed Cloud's shoulder. "Good seeing you too, Cloud. Take good care of my girl while I'm working."

"Don't worry about it," Cloud assured. "She's safe with us." He tugged Zack's arm, coaxing him out of his seat. "Come on, let's take you home."

Zack waved goodbye to Barret and followed Cloud out the back door, taking his hand as he did so.

"We taking the bike?" Zack asked excitedly.

Cloud shook his head. "I'm afraid you'd fall off, with the state you're in. Either that, or I'd have to concentrate on holding you and I might wreck it."

Zack pondered. "How are we getting there, then?"

"I've got a truck I use for my deliveries," Cloud answered. "I don't use it much except for bigger stuff, and I don't usually have passengers, but it's all right."

Zack nodded in understanding, following Cloud out into the alley where the truck was parked. He waited for Cloud to fish the keys out of his pocket and unlock it, then hopped inside, settling into the seat.

"Sweet ride," he commented.

Cloud nodded, mostly tuning out Zack's absent-minded chatter. "Seatbelt," he reminded Zack as he started the truck.

Zack obeyed, buckling himself in as Cloud watched. Seeing that Zack was ready to go, Cloud shifted into drive, pulling out of the alley and onto the main street.

Zack gave Cloud a few directions on how to get to his residence. It turned out to be a small block of apartments owned by Shinra and used to house its employees, and it was only about a ten minute drive from 7th Heaven.

Those ten minutes were spent by Zack recounting the details of every conversation he'd had throughout the night, although Cloud had been within earshot of all of them. He didn't really mind hearing Zack talk, though. He could listen to him talk about anything at all and still be fascinated.

Cloud parked in the small lot, taking the keys with him and hopping out. "I'll walk you inside," he told Zack, as he got out of the truck.

"You're a real romantic," teased Zack, who was quickly, but softly, elbowed in the ribs.

Zack fumbled in his pocket for something, which turned out to be a keycard that allowed him access to the building.

"Are you sure I'm allowed here?" Cloud asked. "Since I'm not Shinra, I mean."

"We can have guests," Zack explained. "You're fine."

He swiped his card. The front door made a soft _click_ and, with that, Zack pulled it open.

"I'm on the second floor," Zack informed Cloud. "Apartment 204, towards the end of the hall."

He continued walking with Cloud in tow until the two of them reached an elevator. Zack called it, and the doors slid open.

Cloud pressed the button labeled "2" as the stainless steel doors closed. After a brief moment, he and Zack were on the second floor.

The halls were bare except for the light fixtures that illuminated the dark. Cloud and Zack's footsteps echoed slightly on the linoleum floors, ringing through the whole hall. It was almost eerie, Cloud thought, how much this reminded him of the old Shinra headquarters in Midgar. He then had to remind himself that this building was, in fact, Shinra property.

Cloud was too busy thinking about his surroundings to notice that they had reached Zack's room, and nearly bumped into him when he stopped walking.

Zack dug around for his key, locating it and unlocking the door. He let Cloud in first, allowing him to get a glimpse of where he lived.

It was a small studio apartment, with a tiny kitchen in one corner and an even tinier bathroom in another. There was also a bed, a reclining chair, and a TV- not much else. Cloud couldn't help but wonder how someone Zack's size didn't feel cramped in such a small space. Maybe that was why he spent so much of his free time with Cloud at 7th Heaven.

Zack flopped onto his bed, sighing loudly. "Thanks for taking me home, Spike," he said, as Cloud sat at the foot of his bed.

"It's nothing," Cloud said, reaching out and running a hand through Zack's hair. "I just wanted to make sure you got here safe."

"All thanks to you." Zack sat up, facing Cloud. He leaned in, kissing him gently.

Zack lingered for a moment as they broke apart. "Cloud?" he asked, quietly.

"What is it?"

"You...wanna stay over?"

The question hung in the air for several seconds as Cloud considered. There were definitely some... _implications_ to Zack's proposal, and Cloud wasn't sure what to make of them.

After mulling it over, Cloud shook his head. "You're drunk, Zack," he reminded. "I'd feel too much like I was taking advantage of you."

"Hey, no pressure." Zack brushed off Cloud turning down his suggestion easily. "It's whatever. You heading out, then?"

"Probably should." Cloud got to his feet, turning around and bending down for one last kiss before he left.

"I love you," called Zack in a singsong voice.

Cloud stopped at the door. He rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "I love you too. Now get some rest."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's been so long since i posted, my job has been kicking my ASS but i promise the next chapter will not disappoint (because i feel like this one did :/)   
> be warned, it's a doozy- over 5k words!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack spends his last night in edge at cloud's place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [insert cloud (hoo boy) image here]

Cloud didn't want to think about it being Zack's last night in Edge for a few weeks, but no matter how hard he tried to suppress it, the thought kept crossing his mind. The last couple of days seemed to fly by, and the dreaded day had finally arrived.

The two were curled up on the couch, watching some old action movie neither of them had heard of before. Denzel was asleep, Marlene was home with her father, and Tifa was downstairs tending the bar, so they had the second story of 7th Heaven all to themselves.

Zack was running his fingers through a half-asleep Cloud's hair, absently. Cloud was lying right up next to him, using Zack's arm as a pillow.

Cloud was hyperfocused on every little movement Zack was making, from the rise and fall of his chest to the gentle hands in his hair. He just wanted to take in as much of Zack's entire being as he could for the night, knowing it would be their last together for some time.

"You're all tense," commented Zack, snapping Cloud back to reality. "What's up?

"I'm all right," dismissed Cloud, rolling over so he was facing Zack instead of the television. "It's just...you're leaving tomorrow. I'm really gonna miss you while you're gone."

"And I'm gonna miss you like crazy, Spike," Zack admitted. "But it's not forever. I'll call you every night if I can. Couple of weeks will be over before you know it."

"Yeah." Cloud hooked an arm around Zack, embracing him. "Guess you're right."

He nestled his head under Zack's chin, not bothering to watch the remainder of the movie. Zack pressed a kiss to the top of his head, a gesture comforting enough for Cloud to relax a little.

The two of them must have dozed off at some point, because the next thing Cloud knew, he was being woken up by Zack stirring. Turning his head to the TV, he saw that the movie had ended and the credits were rolling.

Zack dug around in his pocket, fishing out his cell phone. His face was illuminated by bluish light as he flipped open the display, frowning at the time.

"It's getting late," Zack said, through a yawn. "I should probably get going soon."

Cloud felt his heart sink. He knew all along that this moment was coming, but still didn't want it to happen.

Zack tilted his head down for a kiss, which Cloud returned. "It'll be okay," Zack assured. "You'll barely have time to miss me."

 _That's not true_ , thought Cloud. "Mm...I miss you already," he countered.

"You're gonna make it even harder for me to leave," Zack protested.

"So...don't."

Cloud crawled up on top of Zack, staring at him intently. "Zack?"

"Yeah?"

"Stay."

The room was silent for a moment. Zack hesitated before answering.

"I couldn't intrude...besides, I've got a train to catch in the morning, and-"

"You're not intruding." Cloud's tone was a little more desperate than he'd meant for it to be, but he continued anyway. "I want you here. Please."

"I...if you're sure." Zack gave in. "As long as you don't think Tifa will mind."

"Tifa loves having you here," promised Cloud. "I don't think it'd bother her if we put you up for the night."

"All right, if you're sure." Zack sat up, forcing Cloud to do the same. "I'm gonna go get ready for bed, then. I'm dead tired."

"Me too." Cloud stood up, and disappeared into the hall, out of Zack's sight.

Zack left the couch, following in Cloud's general direction, until he caught him just as he was about to open the bathroom door. "You gonna be long?" he asked.

"I was just gonna shower," answered Cloud, turning his head so he could see Zack.  
"You need in here first?"

"Nah, I can wait my turn," declined Zack. "Go ahead."

Cloud's eyes flicked back and forth around the hallway before he spoke. "There's...room enough for two, y'know."

He turned the doorknob, entering the bathroom only to have Zack catch his wrist.

Zack stood with a hand on his hip and a very interested expression. "You're being serious, aren't you."

"Maybe I'll let you find out." Cloud turned his head towards Zack once more, wearing an expression that seemed to invite Zack in. "Better make up your mind quick, though."

Zack made his decision, following Cloud into the bathroom and ensuring that the door locked behind him.

"Where'd this come from?" asked Zack, amused.

"Dunno." Cloud shrugged. "But I wanna see it through to the end...whatever that means."

"I think I do too." Zack stepped closer to Cloud, tilting his chin upward to deliver a swift kiss, then turned to the cabinet and grabbed two towels, one for himself and one for Cloud.

Cloud turned the water on, waiting for it to warm up. He looked over his shoulder to find Zack stripping down unashamedly behind him.

"You don't waste any time, do you," commented Cloud, quirking an eyebrow. He managed to keep his eyes from wandering below waist level to spare himself any teasing from Zack.

"And you look like you could use some help," returned Zack, discarding his clothes onto the floor. He walked up behind Cloud, tugging the hem of his shirt- more of a question than an action.

"Someone's eager." Cloud allowed Zack to pull his shirt over his head, humoring him. He turned to Zack, grinning. "I think I can handle the rest, though."

"Suit yourself." Zack stepped into the shower, shaking out his ponytail and slipping the tie onto his wrist. "I won't watch if you don't want me to," he said, in mock innocence.

"Doesn't bother me." Cloud finished undressing, noting that Zack, true to his word, had turned his head to give Cloud some privacy.

Cloud pulled back the plastic curtain, following Zack, whose dark hair was slicked down his back from the shower- a stark contrast from its usual voluminous state. When wet, it reached the middle of his back, making a dark curtain over his shoulders.

Curious fingers wove their way into Zack's dark locks, marveling at it.

Zack reached for a bottle of shampoo, but Cloud beat him to it. "Can I...?"

"Sure, I'll let you," permitted Zack, withdrawing his outstretched arm.

Cloud dispensed a generous amount of shampoo into his hands, working it into a lather and massaging it into Zack's scalp. He worked gently, being careful not to get any soap where it might reach Zack's eyes. He combed his fingers all the way to the ends of Zack's hair, slowly and thoroughly.

"Mmm...feels nice," Zack said, sighing blissfully. "You should do this for me more often."

"We'll see." Cloud grinned to himself. "Can you turn around? I need to get the front and I can't reach."

"Yeah, sure." Zack obediently turned, tilting his head forward so he was more within Cloud's reach. He watched with amusement at the expression on Cloud's face as he washed Zack's hair. "You're really focused," he remarked, fondly. "Glad you care so much about my hair."

"Gotta take good care of a head of hair this pretty," answered Cloud, simply, but affectionately. "Step back a little, I need to rinse you."

Zack backed up into the stream, closing his eyes as the hot water ran down his scalp. He savored the feeling of Cloud's fingers working the soapy residue out of his hair.

"Turn around again," Cloud requested, and Zack complied.

As he rinsed the remnants of shampoo out of the ends of Zack's hair, Cloud's eyes began to wander, surveying the broad, battle-marked shoulders, the taut muscles of his back, the subtle inward curve of his spine. He slowed with his work, becoming more and more distracted by the second.

"You're sure taking a while," accused Zack. "Enjoying the view, are we?"

"Careful, or I might accidentally get soap in your eyes," Cloud warned, but there was no threat in the statement. "Anyway, I'm done," he informed Zack.

"Your turn, then?"

"Guess so."

Zack wasted no time with wetting down Cloud's hair, collapsing it from its usual wild, gravity-defying style.

He took a step away to reach around Cloud for the shampoo. Glancing back at Cloud, Zack suddenly began laughing...at what, Cloud wasn't sure.

"What's so funny?" Cloud asked, baffled.

"I'm sorry," Zack apologized, trying to recover from his outburst. "It's just...Cloud, you look like a wet chocobo."

Cloud snorted. "Never heard that before."

"First time for everything," commented Zack. "Like...right now."

"What, you mean seeing me naked?" Cloud shook his head the best he could with Zack's fingers working through his hair. "Not...quite the first time," he reminded Zack.

"Oh, yeah?" Zack's hands ceased their motion as he stared skeptically at Cloud.

"Back at Shinra Manor," Cloud reminded Zack. "You took my old cadet uniform off and put me in a 1st's uniform because my clothes were soaked from the mako tank."

"Guess you're right," recalled Zack, resuming his task. "I forgot all about that."

"Sorry my hot body wasn't memorable enough for you," joked Cloud, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Well, would you look at that? He's got a sense of humor." Zack offered Cloud a wide smile that seemed to brighten his entire face. "Gotta say, you're a little nicer to look at now than back then- not that you weren't good-looking from the start, though."

"What's that supposed to mean?" pushed Cloud, curious.

"You filled out quite a bit, for starters," Zack explained, gently maneuvering Cloud under the shower head so he could rinse out his hair. "Got rid of the lanky teenager body...maybe put on an extra inch, too."

"The first part, yeah. Second part, unfortunately, no." Cloud was still a good eight or so inches shorter than Zack, although with his added bulk he didn't look quite as pathetic standing beside him now as he had in the past.

"You're all scarred up now, too." Zack undid his hands from Cloud's hair, brushing his fingers over Cloud's chest, where two larger scars, similar in shape and size, were situated near each other. Zack knew for certain the origin of the first- it had to have been where Sephiroth's blade had pierced through. Judging by the appearance of the second, which was newer and less faded, he suspected that was also the case.

"Couple years of fighting will do that to you," Cloud said. "I don't mind them much."

"Makes you look badass," agreed Zack, tracing a fainter scar that slashed through Cloud's left eyebrow with his thumb. "'Sides...now we match, yeah?"

Cloud examined Zack's torso, noting several distinctly-shaped patches of discolored, thicker skin- bullet holes and exit wounds. He reached out to touch them, feeling Zack's hands fold over his own.

"Pretty nasty, huh?" Zack remarked. "Even magic and materia couldn't take care of those. Took forever for them to heal completely. There's some around my head, too, but I got enough hair to hide most of those."

Cloud was silent for a while. Zack's scars were a physical reminder of that day nearly three years before. Seeing them stung a little, but those wounds healing were living proof that, just like Zack, time would fix Cloud's wounds as well.

After a moment of silence, save for the steady running of the water, Cloud spoke. "I think...this one's my favorite," he said, straightening up and planting a kiss on the X-shaped scar situated above Zack's jaw.

Zack laughed softly. "Let's see...my favorite of yours is...ah, here we go."

He leaned down and kissed Cloud's lips, caressing his face with a calloused hand.

"Come on, there's not even one there," Cloud protested briefly, but pulled Zack back in for a kiss anyway.

 _This is nice_ , Cloud considered. Zack's lips, made soft and damp by the shower, seemed to pull him back in for more. He framed Zack's jaw with his hands, pulling him down a little so he could reach better.

Zack secured sturdy hands at Cloud's waist, whispers of his breath slipping between Cloud's lips. Cloud tasted sweet on his tongue, almost intoxicatingly so. The rush that Zack was getting from Cloud was more than even the strongest drink could ever give him.

Cloud wove his fingers into Zack's raven hair, using it like a lifeline. He wanted nothing more than to just hold Zack like this and never let him go.

The kisses got rougher and less precise as Zack backed Cloud up against the tile wall. Cloud pulled his head back for a moment, lower lip catching slightly between Zack's teeth as he did so. He kissed all the way down Zack's jaw, continuing down his throat and letting his teeth skim Zack's Adam's apple.

A low, fluttery moan escaped Zack's lips, filling Cloud with giddy pleasure. Must be doing something right, he thought.

Zack pinned Cloud against him, pushing their hips together. "This is what you want, right?" he asked, feeling Cloud push back.

"Mm..." managed Cloud, his mouth going dry. Being this close to Zack was exciting enough, but feeling the telltale outline of Zack's erection pressing into him- well, that was a thrill all its own. "Yeah," he decided. "Will you...?"

"Whatever you want, Cloud." Zack shifted his hands around, moving one of them to the small of Cloud's back. The other traced its way down his jaw, skimming over his throat and collarbone, across smooth pectorals and a taut stomach. "Or...do you want me on my knees...?"

The mental image of Zack dropping down and taking him into his mouth was vivid and deliciously tempting, but Cloud feared that he wouldn't be able to last a sufficient amount of time if that were the case. "I really don't care," he answered, voice low and quiet with desire. "I just need you. Now."

Zack splayed his hand open, running his fingertips down Cloud's stomach at a painfully slow speed. He felt Cloud shudder under him as he reached the area just below his navel. Enjoying the response, he brushed the backs of his knuckles over the same spot, making Cloud tense up.

Cloud bit back a moan, breathing heavily. Gods, did he want Zack. He ached for his touch, and this teasing was torture. "Zack," he pleaded, a little more urgently than he'd intended.

"Impatient, aren't you," chastised Zack.

"I'm the one who got you in here," Cloud growled, irritated and almost desperate. "Quit teasing me."

Zack must have finally decided he was done having his fun, because it was only a matter of seconds until he finally gave Cloud the attention he'd been craving so desperately, taking him into his hand and working into a steady rhythm.

Cloud's breath hitched as soon as he felt Zack's fingers wrap around him. He couldn't keep quiet any longer, letting out a sound that was more of a sigh than a moan. Even so, had he not been presently occupied, he might have worried that the sound was loud enough to inform anyone else in the house who might be within earshot exactly what was happening behind the locked door.

Watching Zack's expression, Cloud was immensely pleased to find that Zack was getting off on this about as much as he was. He felt Zack's hand fall from his back, hearing him hum with satisfaction, and realized that Zack was now using his other hand to jerk himself off.

"Who's impatient now," breathed Cloud, catching Zack's wrist. "That's...my job."

"Oh?" Zack's hand fell away.

"I'll get you taken care of...I swear...just give me...a minute."

"All right." Zack leaned down to kiss Cloud. "Guess I can wait my turn."

Cloud grabbed tightly at a fistful of hair at the nape of Zack's neck. He kissed him back fiercely, breathing Zack's name into the spaces between their lips.

Zack leaned down a little, brushing his lips over Cloud's ear. He pressed a line of kisses into Cloud's skin, starting behind his earlobe and continuing on down his neck.

Cloud tightened his hold on Zack's hair. "Don't stop," he implored, stuttering slightly. "I...I'm close."

"Don't worry." Zack picked up his pace, making Cloud bite his lip. "I'm not done until you are."

Cloud gasped a little, then immediately tried to stifle the sound.

"Hey, hey, it's fine," consoled Zack, warm breath tickling Cloud's ear. "Nothing to be embarrassed about."

Back arching forward, Cloud pressed himself against Zack. "Oh, fuck, fuck, _fuck_ ," he muttered, curling his free hand into a fist as stars danced behind his eyes.

He felt like his legs were bound to give out any second. Cloud stumbled forward slightly, Zack catching him before he could fall. Resting his head on Zack's shoulder, Cloud let out a low moan into the crook of his neck.

"Holding up?" Zack asked, securing Cloud's waist with both hands.

"I'm fine..." Better than fine, corrected Cloud mentally. Gods, that felt good. "You?"

"Peachy." Zack ran his fingers through Cloud's hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Can you stand?"

"I got it." Cloud felt the hand steadying him fall away. He straightened up for another kiss, yanking Zack's chin downward. "Hey, I'm not done with you," he muttered, playfully.

"Is that so?" Zack leaned down, bearing a suggestive grin before delivering a succession of kisses, slow and heavy.

Cloud pushed back with an equal amount of fervor. He rolled his hips forward, feeling Zack grip him tighter as he did so.

"So...my turn, then?" murmured Zack.

"I did promise," answered Cloud, between kisses.

"Thank the gods." Zack broke away, hovering an inch or two from Cloud. "Was starting to think I'd have to get off all by myself."

"I told you, I got it."

"Well, how kind of y- oh... _shit_ , Cloud, that's- mm..."

Zack's sarcastic remark died in his throat the second he felt Cloud touch him. For once, he was at a loss for words.

"Cloud," Zack breathed. "That's...that's good, Cloud..."

He inched a hand up Cloud's back, brushing his fingers over wet skin. Gasping, Zack dug his nails in a little, making Cloud wince.

"Sorry," he apologized, hastily.

"It's nothing," dismissed Cloud. He tilted Zack's chin downward with his unoccupied hand. "Hey. Look at me. I...want to see your face."

Zack complied, locking eyes with Cloud.

Cloud tried to commit Zack's face to memory- the furrowed brows, the tip of his tongue poking out the corner of his lips, the vibrant eyes clouded over with desire. He watched Zack's expression change in sync with his own movements, feeling a rush of satisfaction at seeing Zack come undone by his hands. It was so, so gratifying to watch.

"You're- ah- you're really good at this," Zack breathed after a while, shuddering slightly.

Cloud, having had his ego stroked, deliberately picked up the pace, hearing Zack swear under his breath.

"Come on, come on, Cloud, come on," Zack muttered, biting into his lower lip. "Keep going."

"Already?" prompted Cloud. "You're quick."

"Yeah, yeah...just...keep going...please."

"I'm not stopping." Cloud traced Zack's lips with the thumb of his unoccupied hand. "You need this."

Zack couldn't agree more. Cloud was a natural- he knew exactly what he was doing. This was precisely what he needed.

He threw his head back, his entire body jolting. "Cloud..." he sighed, pressing his lips into a tight line.

Zack wrapped both arms around Cloud to steady himself, feeling Cloud secure both hands at his waist. He rested his head against damp blond hair, breathing heavily. "I need to know," he began. "What are the chances...of doing this for real?"

"For real?" repeated Cloud.

"As in...you and me, in bed, the whole shebang."

"Solid one hundred," answered Cloud, with no hesitation. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can get you to my room."

He turned off the water, stepping out of the shower and passing Zack a towel, picking one up for himself.

No sooner had he and Cloud dried off off than when Zack had Cloud pinned against the wall, kissing him feverishly.

Cloud pulled Zack down deeper into the kiss, pushing his hips up into slightly broader ones. He felt Zack's hands spanning his waist, keeping him anchored against him.

"Keep it up, and we're not gonna make it to your room," warned Zack, breathlessly.

Cloud entertained the notion of letting Zack lay him down right there on the floor and take him as he was. "Fine by me," he answered, picturing himself sprawled on his back, the bathroom tile cool on his bare skin, Zack's warmth heavy on top of him.

Contrary to Cloud's intentions, Zack was set on getting Cloud to the bedroom. "Come on...I wanna do this proper."

He reached for the door handle, only to be stopped by a sharp "Hold on."

Zack dropped his hand to his side. "Yeah?"

"Put your clothes back on," instructed Cloud, snatching his shirt up off the floor. "It's stupid, I know, but...just in case Tifa or Denzel are up and around."

"Good call," Zack said, pulling his pants back on and reaching for his shirt.

After getting dressed as quickly as possible, Zack stepped out of the bathroom, making his way down the dark hallway leading to the bedroom with Cloud in tow. Opening the door, he made a beeline for the bed, hearing Cloud shut the door and lock it behind them.

Cloud crawled into Zack's lap, getting up on his knees and holding Zack's chin upward towards him. "Do you have any idea," he began, inching one of his hands up Zack's shirt, "how bad I want you right now?" With a few quick movements, he pulled the garment over Zack's head, tossing it aside.

"Mm...do you know much I love hearing you say that?" asked Zack, securing his hands at Cloud's waist and pressing Cloud's hips against his stomach. He hitched up Cloud's shirt, revealing smooth lines of muscle, and cast it off as well, leaving it lay beside his own.

Cloud maneuvered himself back slightly, hands wandering downward. "These..." he stated, fumbling with the button on Zack's pants, "have got to go."

Zack hummed in agreement, stifling a whine when he felt Cloud's fingertips lightly stroke him through the material.

Cloud shook his head. "I wanna hear you, Zack."

He gave Zack a second, slower drag. Zack allowed himself to push forward into the touch, sighing loudly and unashamedly per Cloud's request. "Hey," he breathed, knowing that for every moment Cloud's hands were on him, he was drawing painfully closer to the edge. "Can we slow down a sec?"

"Sure." Cloud slipped his arms around Zack's waist. "Too much?"

"No, it's...good, I just- don't wanna be finished before we've even started, y'know?"

"Got it. I'll be careful."

"So, then." Zack cast his gaze onto Cloud, pupils blown wide with desire. "Are we doing this?"

"Gaia, yes. Please."

That was all the confirmation Zack needed. With Cloud's help, he hastily pulled his pants all the way off, working on returning the favor for Cloud.

"You've got the stuff we need, right?" Zack asked.

"Shit." Cloud scrambled out of Zack's lap, getting to his feet. "It's in the bathroom. I'll be right back."

He bolted into the hall, flicking on the bathroom light. Zack heard him rummaging through drawers frantically until he found what he needed.

"Sorry," Cloud hastily apologized, dumping the contents of his hands onto the nightstand beside his bed.

"Guess you'll know to leave these in the drawer for next time," commented Zack.

Cloud couldn't hide his satisfaction at the way Zack so casually said "next time-" a guarantee, not a possibility.

Zack climbed back up onto the bed, letting Cloud return to his previous position in his lap.

"Hey," came Zack's voice. "I'm gonna get you on your back, okay?"

"Go for it." Cloud relaxed, allowing Zack to ease him downward, feeling a calloused hand trace down the inside of his thigh as he did so.

Gently, Zack eased Cloud's knees apart, dipping his head down and pressing kisses into the soft skin of Cloud's stomach. His lips trailed all the way up to Cloud's neck,  
dark locks spilling over onto porcelain skin as he moved.

Cloud hooked a thumb into the waistband of Zack's underwear, slipping it off without too much trouble. Responding in kind, Zack stripped Cloud the rest of the way, both of them now laid bare to each other for the second time.

Waiting in anticipation as Zack prepped himself, Cloud tried to collect his thoughts. _This is happening, this is really, really happening._

Zack repositioned himself carefully, Cloud's arms hanging loosely around his neck. He pushed forward with his hips once, immediately feeling Cloud's grip tighten.

Slender fingers curled themselves tightly into raven hair as Zack picked up a steady rhythm. Cloud swore loudly after a few seconds, concerning Zack.

"That doesn't hurt, does it?" he asked, softly.

"No," breathed Cloud, his voice wavering. "That's...that's good, Zack, that's really, really good..."

After ensuring Cloud was doing all right, Zack surveyed him for a few moments, locking his gaze on the impossibly blue eyes that matched the artificial hue of his own. Dark lashes fluttered open wide at certain intervals, framing the seas of blue that were now eclipsed by dilated pools of black.

Cloud's lips were slightly parted, occasionally curling back to reveal his teeth. He maintained a tight grip on Zack's hair, pulling his head down into the crook of his neck.  
  
Zack breathed Cloud's name onto his skin, making Cloud shudder. He felt Cloud's legs wrap around his waist, crossed at the ankles.

Being like this, bodies pressed close together, felt like the most natural thing in the world.

The feeling was like a wild teenage fantasy coming true- awkward and messy and perfect. Hands pulling at hair, lips brushing over skin, ragged breaths punctuating the silence.

Cloud stared upwards at Zack, trying to take in everything. Zack's expression was nearly identical to the one he had worn during their little fling in the shower earlier. He was breathing as hard as Cloud was, cheeks slightly flushed in the dim light.

It was difficult for Cloud to process the reality of what was happening. Zack- _Zack Fair_ \- was fucking him, with all the poise and stamina and raw impulse of the SOLDIER that he had once been evident in every rock of his hips and tug of his hands.

Cloud pondered what his sixteen-year-old self would have thought about what was happening right now. Sure, he'd fantasized about the First on several occasions in his younger days (it'd be difficult not to have done so), but the fact that he was, in this moment, actually intimate with Zack, was sort of unbelievable.

He found it positively perverse how Zack managed to look as effortlessly gorgeous as ever, even now, in the crudest of settings. A wish came from the deep recesses of Cloud's mind to see Zack utterly defiled. He wondered what it would take to wreck Zack entirely.

Experimentally, Cloud jerked his hips upward, wrapping his legs a little tighter around Zack's waist. The action forced an audible response from Zack, a pleasure-ridden sound that was high and breathy and completely the opposite of the sort of sound Cloud had come to expect from him. Pleased with the result, he repeated the motion, feeling the blunt bite of Zack's nails digging into his skin.

"Cloud," panted Zack, "that feels fucking amazing...but if you keep it up...we'll be done here...a lot quicker...than we gotta be."

Cloud got the message, opting to slow down and make the most of his and Zack's duet of sorts. "Sorry...I'm gonna...make this last," he stated, softly, but immensely satisfied with himself for being able to get a good reaction out of Zack.

Zack was much more vocal now than Cloud expected him to be. Cloud silently thanked the powers that be for his room being located on the opposite end of the house from Denzel's, and for the fact that Tifa was still stuck downstairs for at least another hour or so. Zack was loud, and Cloud loved it- the way that he could make the most vulnerable sounds without any hint of shame.

"Fuck, you sound incredible," murmured Cloud, Zack's intermittent moans like music to his ears.

The two continued wordlessly for a while longer, accompanied only by the wrecked sounds of pleasure escaping their mouths and the rustle of Zack's steady rocking motions shaking the mattress.

Zack was growing noticeably tense, the canting of his hips becoming more and more urgent by the second. He quickly fell out of the steady tempo he'd worked into in favor of a quicker, more upbeat pace that was just about more than Cloud could take.

"Zack," spat Cloud, urgency in his voice. "You're gonna- oh, fuck, Zack, I need to-"

"Yeah...I know," Zack panted, his voice husky. "Me too."

Desperate to quench the fire that was growing in the pit of his stomach, Cloud pushed upward, hard, into Zack, drawing out a lengthy sigh of euphoria that seemed to make every hair on Cloud's body stand on end. Zack was nearing his limit as well, and Cloud was determined to unravel him as much as possible before that happened.

Cloud unwound a hand from the thick hair that it had tangled itself in, running his fingers down Zack's spine and feeling him shiver as he did so. Fingernails dug into Cloud's side once more, leaving little half-moon indents and adding to the fervor with which he moved.

"S-shit, Cloud," he heard Zack stutter. "Don't stop."

Without warning, Zack gave one final push, expending the last of his energy. He let his head drop down beside Cloud's, whining his name right into his ear and bringing Cloud over the edge all at once.

Cloud's whole body trembled, spending every last ounce of stamina he had left. He felt his eyes roll back a little, mouth falling open. "Zack...oh, Gaia, Zack, _fuck_ ," he said, more of a reverent chant than a statement.

He sighed deeply as he felt Zack's body fold around him, slack, finding comfort in the warm weight that was now enveloping him.

Zack pushed himself up off of Cloud after a few moments, propping himself onto his elbows and catching his breath.

"You still with me down there?" he asked Cloud, who was panting like he'd just run a marathon.

"Think I'm holding up," Cloud huffed in response. "You?"

"Fantastic," replied Zack, in earnest. He tilted his head to find a pair of blue-green eyes watching him with interest. "Cloud...?"

"Yeah?"

"That was...wow. Even better than I'd imagined."

Cloud was taken aback by the sudden praise, but accepted it nonetheless. "You have no idea how much I wanted that," he admitted.

"Oh, man, ever since you asked me to stay, I knew I was a goner," Zack confessed. "Couldn't wait to get my hands on you. I really hoped that this was what you meant when you asked me to stay over."

Cloud's face grew hot at hearing Zack's confession. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. Didn't know you had it in you to be so forward."

"I told you before, I'm full of surprises," Cloud responded, snickering. "I guess it was just in the moment."

Zack nodded. "I get that. I've always been the spontaneous type, I guess."

"I know you are." Cloud playfully patted Zack's cheek. "That's why I figured you'd go along with it."

Zack rolled onto his side, hooking an arm around Cloud and pulling him up against his body. "Hey, get over here," he coaxed, running his fingers through still-damp blond hair.

Cloud stretched, content. He could feel Zack's heartbeat, still racing, against his skin. Brushing Zack's hair out of the way, he gently kissed his forehead.

"Mm...I love you," mumbled Zack, resting his head against Cloud's chin.

Cloud cradled Zack's head against his. "Love you too," he answered, moving just a bit closer.

After a few moments of silence, Zack spoke. "You all taken care of? Or do you wanna have another go?"

"As great as that sounds, I'm spent," Cloud told him. "Think I'm too tired for anything else tonight."

"That's fine." Zack lowered his voice. "There's always next time."

Cloud didn't even have to look up to know that Zack was grinning at him. "I like the way you think," he said. "For now, though, I think I just want to sleep."

"I'm sure that can be arranged." Zack sat up, pulling the blankets over himself and Cloud, carefully tucking both of them in. He felt Cloud's arms slip around him as he lay back down, snuggling up tightly against him.

"Will you wake me up before you leave?" asked Cloud, quietly but suddenly.

"Hm?" Zack shifted his gaze to Cloud. "Yeah, of course."

"Can you promise that?"

"I promise."

Cloud sighed in relief. "Thank you," he said.

Zack kissed inside the hollow of Cloud's collarbone. "I'll miss this," he whispered.

"Yeah...me too." Cloud gently combed his fingers through Zack's hair, trying to eliminate some of the tangles that he had caused.

"You gonna sleep?" asked Zack, feeling Cloud's gentle strokes stop after several minutes.

"Mmhmm," managed Cloud, barely awake.

"All right, then." He ran his knuckles over Cloud's cheek. "Sweet dreams."

It wasn't long before Zack drifted off, sleeping soundly.

Cloud fought the wave of sleepiness that was threatening to lull him into unconsciousness, getting one last good look at Zack. He was going to miss him terribly over the next couple weeks, but it was as Zack said- it would be over before he knew it.

He planted one last kiss on Zack's cheek, laying his head down and closing his eyes.

"I love you," Cloud murmured, though Zack could not hear, and drifted off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

Cloud was stirred from his sleep by a buzzing sound coming from his nightstand. He was momentarily confused, as he was sure he'd turned his phone off the night before. After reaching for the device, he quickly realized it was not his own, but Zack's.

"Hey," he called softly, after silencing Zack's phone. "Zack." He rolled over and prodded Zack's shoulder.

"Mm- yeah?" mumbled Zack. He yawned, stretching a bit. "Is it morning already?”

"I'd hardly call this morning, but yeah," Cloud answered. "You should probably get up and around."

In response, Zack looped an arm around Cloud's midriff, pulling him in close. "Five more minutes," he said, resting his chin against the top of Cloud's head.

Cloud didn't object, sighing as he wrapped his own arm around Zack.

Neither of them spoke for the duration of the five minutes that Zack had allotted. They were busy taking in as much of each other as they could, memorizing every heartbeat, every rise and fall of their chests as they breathed.

Cloud stroked Zack's face with his knuckles, first tracing his cheekbone, then his jaw, and brushed his thumb over the slight indent of the scar on Zack's cheek.

Zack leaned slightly into the touch, running his fingers through Cloud's blond locks. He sighed softly, a sound which Cloud found endearing.

Five minutes turned into ten, and soon Cloud was nudging Zack again. "You really should get up," he urged, though his tone made it evident that he didn't really want him to. "You don't want to miss your train."

"Yeah, probably not." Zack sat up, shrugging out of Cloud's embrace and pulling the covers off of himself.

He got to his feet, dim moonlight throwing shadows across his skin. Reaching down to pick up his clothes, Zack dressed himself quietly.

Zack sat on the edge of Cloud's bed, grabbing his shoes and pulling them on. As he was tying them, Cloud crawled over and leaned into him, locking his arms around Zack's stomach and resting his head in the crook of his neck.

"Man, you are warm," Zack commented, reaching back to ruffle Cloud's hair. "I run a little hot myself, but you're like a damn space heater."

Cloud released his hold as Zack stood and turned to face him. He took a knee so he would be down at Cloud's level, and pulled him in for a tight hug.

Cloud hugged him back, taking in the feeling of the strong arms wrapped around him for what would be the last time for a while. "I'm gonna miss you so much, dammit," he muttered.

"I know, I know," Zack replied. "But I'll be back soon enough, I promise."

"Hey." Cloud lifted his head so he could look Zack in the eyes. "I love you."

Zack smiled, softly and sweetly enough that Cloud could swear his heart skipped a beat. "I love you too," he said, sincerely.

He leaned in, delivering a chaste kiss to Cloud.

Cloud's hands cradled Zack's head, anchoring the two of them together. They broke apart after a few of the longest seconds either of them had ever felt.

"Call me when you get there, all right?" Cloud urged Zack as he got to his feet once more.

"You got it, Spike," Zack agreed, raising a hand to his forehead in a mock salute. "See you soon," he said as he crossed the room. He paused when he reached the door, hand gripping the knob.

Zack turned his head in Cloud's direction. "Love you," he said, simply, and was out the door.

"Love you too," Cloud called back, watching as the door closed. He listened as Zack made his way to the stairwell and descended to the first floor, until he could no longer hear anything.

Cloud lay back down, realizing that he was now on Zack's side of the bed. Taking a deep breath, he realized that Zack's scent was still lingering on the pillow. Content, Cloud pulled his blankets back over himself, going back to sleep and resting as soundly as if Zack were still with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW...i warned yall this was a long one  
> sorry for double posting, those boys finally got some action tho...and not for the last time ;)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack meets an old friend on the way to mideel.

Zack arrived at the Edge train station with time to spare, finding his way to the correct platform and taking a seat on a bench nearby.

He pulled out his phone, checking the time. It was still early, and the sun wouldn't be up for a couple of hours. Yawning, Zack pocketed his phone once more, resting a hand on his luggage.

Zack had been told it would be well into the afternoon before he and the other workers going with him would arrive in Mideel. The trains only ran as far as Fort Condor- much farther south, and you'd run into the sea. Since there were no ports on the southern end of the eastern continent, he would be riding out to Junon and departing by sea from there, which made for a long trip.

He figured he could sleep most of the way there. As he boarded, he sought out the most comfortable looking seat to fulfill that purpose.

Zack stowed his belongings overhead, taking a seat in the corner of the car. He made himself comfortable, and was about to close his eyes until he noticed the person in the seat across from him was eyeing him intently.

He was annoyed, about to ask "Do you mind?" until he noticed who it was that was staring at him.

"Kunsel?” asked Zack, in disbelief.

"I...yeah, that's me," confirmed Kunsel. "You aren't...Zack Fair, are you?"

Zack's face broke into a grin. "None other." He stood and crossed over to where Kunsel was sitting, pulling him into a bear hug. "How've you been? It's been years, dude."

Kunsel gave Zack a firm pat on the back. "I thought you died, man! It's so good to see you."

"I...sort of did," admitted Zack, seating himself next to where Kunsel had been. "At least, on paper."

"I heard they sent an entire battalion after you and that cadet," Kunsel told Zack, lowering his voice. "How'd you survive that?”

"I got lucky, I guess," Zack answered. "They actually had a couple of the Turks out looking for me. They knew I was in trouble, so they were trying to get to me before the soldiers did. Needless to say, the soldiers won that race, but..." He sighed. "I was barely alive when they found me, and Cloud- the guy who was with me- he was already gone by then. Dragged himself off to Midgar and collapsed, from what I heard."

"Shit, Zack," was all Kunsel could say. "Well...I'm glad you're alive. I missed you, man."

"Yeah, missed you too," agreed Zack. "So what have you been up to? We've got some serious catching up to do."

"Contract work, mostly," explained Kunsel. "After Meteorfall, Shinra pretty much dissolved SOLDIER. Those of us who'd been in it got offered other jobs within the company, so I took this one, and three years later, I'm still here." He looked over at Zack. "What about you?"

"You'll never believe this, but I guess I'm Rufus' lapdog now."

Kunsel raised an eyebrow. "No way. How'd that happen?"

"Well, after I 'died,' the Turks sort of took me in as one of their own while I got better, and as soon as I could work again, they put me right under Rufus." Zack shrugged. "He's an all right boss most of the time, and he pays well, so there's that."

"Weird," remarked Kunsel.

"What's weird?" prompted Zack.

"The fact that you owe so much to the company who tried to kill you in the first place."

"It is a little strange," Zack agreed. "To be fair, though, that was before Rufus was president- that was still his father's time. There's good people in this company- like you, and the Turks."

Zack took a breath. "Enough of the heavy stuff, though," he said. "How's life outside of work?"

"Pretty good at the moment," Kunsel said. "I moved out to Junon a while back. Trying to settle down, y'know? I've got a girl out there, too," he added, clearly proud of himself.

"Nice!” Zack gave Kunsel an encouraging pat on the back. "Sounds like you're really getting your life together, good for you."

"How about you?" asked Kunsel. "Where are you living- Edge, I'm guessing?"

"Yep," confirmed Zack. "There's housing there for Shinra employees, so I'm living there at the moment. It's nice, living in Edge- like Midgar, but better."

"Maybe I'll have to swing by and visit sometime," Kunsel suggested. "I've heard it's nice there."

"I'd like that." Zack smiled. "Let me know if you're ever in the city."

"Sure thing." Kunsel elbowed Zack. "So...you can't expect me to believe that a guy like you living in the big city is still single. You got anyone special at home?"

Zack softened, his mind immediately conjuring an image of Cloud. "Yeah, I do, actually," he said, fondly. "You know the guy who was with me when the army was chasing me with him?"

"That blond SOLDIER wannabe, right?" Kunsel recalled. "What was his name again...Strife, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, that'd be Cloud." Zack nodded.

"Wait a second." Kunsel seemed to realize something. "Cloud _Strife_? As in the AVALANCHE guy who took down _Sephiroth_?"

Zack laughed at Kunsel's incredibly shocked expression. "That's him, all right," he confirmed, suddenly feeling a surge of pride on Cloud's behalf.

Kunsel shook his head in disbelief. "Gods, Zack, I didn't know you had such high standards," he joked.

"I'm a lucky guy," Zack agreed. "Really, though, he's just a regular guy. You should meet him sometime."

"I'd like that."

The two of them talked until the sun began to peek through the windows of the train. Zack decided to return to his original seat to try and catch some shut-eye, and napped for a good couple of hours.

It was good, getting to catch up with Kunsel. He'd been one of Zack's only friends in SOLDIER, and was always good about keeping in contact back then. Zack hoped he'd do the same now that they'd been reacquainted.

Having friends was good. Having old friends who'd stuck it out with you was better.

Zack decided that maybe this job wouldn't be so rough after all. At least, not with Kunsel around.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short lil chapter, i know, but i'm double posting tonight so B)
> 
> comments/kudos always appreciated!! and feel free to come bug me on twitter (cIimhazzard) or tumblr (climmhazzard)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack has an idea.

Cloud was busy at his desk, filling out paperwork. It had been a long day of deliveries, and long days meant even longer nights filling out forms. He set his pen down for a moment, rubbing his temples. Much to his relief, Cloud heard his phone buzzing from several feet away. Picking it up off the desk, he saw that it was Zack calling. Flipping his phone open, he cradled the device to his ear.

“Hey,” Cloud answered, fondly. “Thanks for calling, I was about to die of boredom.”

He heard Zack laugh on the other end of the line. “If I’d have known you needed me to save you, I’d have called sooner.”

“You called me, and that’s all that matters.” Cloud shifted in his desk chair. “How was your day?”

“Better than the last two weeks,” Zack told him. “I got to work inside for a change. It’s been hotter than hell ever since we got here. I think Kunsel’s the only thing keeping me sane.”

“I’m glad you have him there,” Cloud said. “It’s good that you two are getting to catch up. I can tell you’re happy to be around him again.”

“Oh yeah, he’s great,” agreed Zack. “You wouldn’t believe the look on his face when he realized it was me. Poor guy thought I was dead, y’know. Well- him and everyone else on the team. I wish you could have been there when Rufus introduced me to the other guys. They looked like they’d seen a ghost.”

“In a way, they have,” Cloud reminded him. “Aren’t you still dead by official standards?”

“That’s right,” recalled Zack. He sighed, sounding frustrated.

“Everything okay?” asked Cloud. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” assured Zack. “It’s just…I called for a reason.”

“What’s the reason?”

“I miss you.”

Cloud was endeared. “You know I miss you too.”

“No, it’s like…” Zack paused for a minute, choosing his words. “I  _miss_  you. It’s lonely, not waking up with you there, or going to sleep with you beside me.”

“You act like we slept together all the time before you left. So far it’s just been the one time,” Cloud reminded him.

“I know,” Zack said, still frustrated. “I think…it’s that that I miss. Being with you…like  _that_.”

“Oh.” Cloud understood. “I…I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have done that to you right before you had to leave for this long.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Zack was quiet for a few seconds. “I’m just…not sure I can wait until the next time I see you.”

Cloud’s interest was piqued. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

Zack spoke. “Cloud?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you…want to try something?”

The implication of Zack’s question made Cloud’s mouth run dry. “I’m down for whatever,” he decided. “Are you alone?” he asked. “I know you mentioned having a roommate.”

“He’s out right now,” Zack explained. “I’ll lock my door in case he comes back. You should…probably do the same.”

“Good idea.” Cloud rose from his seat, hearing a muffled click from Zack’s end of the line as he locked the door. Cloud reached his own door a few seconds after, turning the lock and giving the handle an experimental turn for good measure.

“I’m…not really sure how to start,” admitted Zack, awkwardly. “Never done this before.”

“Yeah, me either,” Cloud agreed.

“Well…make yourself comfortable, I guess?” decided Zack. “Sit down…or lay down, whichever you wanna do.”

Cloud opted to sit against the headboard of his bed, pillows propping up his back. “Okay, I’m there,” he told Zack. “Do you…want me to undress, or…?”

“You don’t have to all the way, if you don’t want to.”

“What about you?” asked Cloud. “How are you doing this?”

“Well, my shirt was already off, so I guess I’m going all the way,” informed Zack.

“Then…I will too.” Cloud reached for the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head and casting it onto the floor. The slight chill was welcome- his skin was beginning to grow hot with anticipation.

“All right.” Zack paused momentarily. “Still got your pants on?”

“For now, yeah.”

“Go ahead and take ‘em off, then,” instructed Zack. “Just your pants, though.”

Cloud did as he was told, slipping out of his pants and tossing them over near where his shirt now lay. “Done.”

“Okay, good.” Zack cleared his throat, awkwardly. “Are you- are you hard yet?”

“Sort of,” Cloud admitted, his face hot. “I was hoping I could get a little help with that.”

He heard Zack laugh quietly. “I think I can manage that.”

Zack’s voice suddenly dropped a bit, just enough to make Cloud shudder when he next spoke. “You want this, right?”

The words sent a jolt all the way through Cloud’s body. “Shit, Zack…yeah, I do.” 

“You remember how good it felt a couple weeks ago?”

“Mm…” was all Cloud could manage. He was definitely aroused now, aching to ease the growing pressure between his legs. 

“Cloud?” Zack asked, quiet but firm.

“Mmhmm?”

“I…I want you to touch yourself.”

“Gods, I thought you’d never ask,” breathed Cloud.

“Hold on,” Zack said, making Cloud let out a noise of frustration.

“Zack,” he complained.

“Leave your underwear on for now,” Zack directed. “Just start slow…I’m right here with you.”

Cloud switched his cell phone to his left hand, taking his other hand and slowly beginning to stroke himself. He breathed a sigh of relief at the touch, much to Zack’s satisfaction.

“Feels good, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Cloud agreed, voice barely above a whisper. “Haven’t done this in a while.”

“Me either.” 

Cloud heard Zack moan ever so slightly, adding to his own gratification. “Fuck,” he whispered. “I need…I need more,” he said, half pleading with Zack.

“If you need to take your underwear off, go ahead,” permitted Zack. “I’m gonna do the same.”

Just imagining the sight of Zack, fully naked and so  _vulnerable_  was enough for Cloud to let out a sound of satisfaction. He tugged himself free of the last thing keeping himself from uninhibited pleasure, exhaling as some of the pressure he had been feeling was lifted. Finally free to do as he pleased, he wrapped his fingers around himself, gasping slightly at the touch.

Cloud heard a quiet “shit” from the other end of the line and imagined that Zack must now be doing the same thing he was doing. His mind’s eye conjured an image of this for him, and gods, was it a sight to see. Cloud tried to recall exactly how Zack’s face had looked from several nights before, as he had gone down on him. Heavy-lidded eyes, mouth hanging slightly open, pupils blown wide…all those things, because of  _him_.

Wow.

The image caused him to pick up pace a little, wringing a pent-up moan out of his mouth. He grinned perversely, still imagining Zack, heaving and panting.

Cloud drew his legs in closer to his body, giving himself more freedom of movement. Just then, he heard Zack make a soft, breathy sound that could only be described as a whimper.

“It’s not fair, you know…how good you sound,” Cloud told him. “I love it.”

Almost certainly for show, Zack let out another moan, more drawn-out and vocalized than the last. Cloud shuddered violently, immensely pleased.

“Didn’t know you were an exhibitionist,” Cloud teased, through gritted teeth. “Fuck, I wish I could see you right now.”

“I wish I could see you too- the way that pretty little face of yours looks when you come… _fuck_ , Cloud.”

Cloud realized that he was gripping his phone rather tightly, and eased some of the tension in his grip so as not to damage the device. “Zack...help me out here...give me something…anything,” he breathed. 

“You’ve got this,” Zack assured. “Look at you, getting off all on your own.”

Cloud was elated at the sudden praise. “Tell me you’re close,” he said. “I’m not sure how much longer I can hang on.”

“I’m getting there,” Zack told him. “You can slow down if you need to.”

“Don’t want to,” Cloud responded. “This feels way too good the way I’m going right now.”

“I want you to feel good, Cloud,” said Zack, pausing to gasp sharply. “Shit- sorry- do whatever makes you feel best.”

So he continued, riding on the edge of what he could take and almost having to stop altogether. “Zack,” he panted, shaking, “I can’t wait anymore.”

“Then we can do this together,” Zack suggested. “You ready?”

“Fuck, yes, I am.”

Cloud finally let himself come, his back arching forward as he did so. “Shit, shit, shit,” he repeated, shuddering.

The next second, he heard Zack, coming in turn, quite audibly. If he hadn’t already finished, that sound alone would have pushed Cloud over the edge.

“Zack…” Cloud whispered, not needing to say anything else.

He heard Zack, breathing heavily over the phone. “How do you feel?” he asked.

“Fucking fantastic.” Cloud sighed. “Gaia, Zack, this was a good idea.”

“I have those every once in a while.” Cloud couldn’t see Zack, but he could picture the crooked grin he must have been wearing right about now. “I think this oughta get us through until we see each other again, don’t you think?”

“I hope so,” agreed Cloud. “I mean, if not, we could always try this again.” 

“Maybe.” Zack softened. “Thanks for indulging me.”

“Hey, it’s no problem. I needed this too.” Cloud shrugged, even though he knew Zack wouldn’t be able to see. 

“Hey, Spike?”

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“You know I love you, right?”

Cloud was a little taken aback. “‘Course I do,” he said. “Why wouldn’t I think that?”

“I just…don’t want to feel like I’m using you. It’s great that we can do stuff like this, but that’s definitely not all I want from you.”

“I know that.” Cloud tucked his knees in against his chest. “If you ask me, the best part of our first time was afterward…just lying with you and talking.”

“I liked that too.” Zack gave a defeated sigh. “Only so much you can do over the phone. I wish I was with you now…just being able to be next to you would be enough.”

“You’ll be home soon enough, and you can get as much time with me as you want, barring our jobs.” Cloud smiled. “My schedule’s been pretty clear lately, so you can come over whenever you like.”

“Sounds great.” Zack paused, seemingly listening for something. “I think that’s Kunsel coming down the hall. I better get up and unlock the door to let him in.”

“You should probably put your pants on first,” Cloud teased.

“Planned on it,” Zack assured. “That’d be a hell of a greeting.”

Cloud snickered at the thought. “I’ll let you go, then.”

“‘Night, Cloud,” said Zack. “I love you…so, so much.”

“Love you too,” Cloud answered. “Bye.”

He flipped his phone shut, pulling back the covers of his bed and getting underneath them.

All Cloud could think about as he drifted off to sleep was how much he couldn’t wait for Zack to come home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cloud has a visitor.

"Hey, Cloud?"

Turning away from the pile of paperwork on his desk, Cloud saw Denzel poking his head through the door.

"Hey, buddy," Cloud greeted. "What's up?"

"Tifa said to tell you that you have a visitor," Denzel informed Cloud.

"A visitor, huh?" Cloud turned back to his desk. "I'm a little busy right now, but tell them that I'll be out as soon as I'm done here."

"She said it was someone really important," persuaded Denzel. Cloud could tell he was fighting a grin, so he figured that he better go check things out.

"Guess I can do this later." Giving in, Cloud stood up, pushing in his chair and meeting Denzel at the door. He followed him out to go meet his mystery guest, expecting a delivery client or something of the sort.

What he didn't expect, however, was to find Zack perched on the arm of the couch.

Cloud didn't even remember walking up to Zack, he just knew that he was there now, strong arms pulling him into an embrace.

"Hey there, handsome," came Zack's voice. "It's been a while."

Cloud sighed deeply, burying his head in Zack's chest. "I thought you weren't supposed to be back until next week," Cloud said, his speech slightly muffled. Touch starved as he was, he let himself sink into Zack's entire being, pressed snugly into him.

"We finished up early, so they sent us back here," explained Zack. "Good thing, too. Was starting to really miss this face of yours."

He cradled Cloud's head with both hands, tilting it up and kissing him gently.

Cloud heard Tifa, who had been watching the scene unfold, snickering from across the room. Turning his head just enough to make eye contact with her, he made a show of kissing Zack again, grinning as he did so.

Tifa rolled her eyes, but smiled anyways. "Well, I'll give you two some privacy," she told Cloud and Zack as they broke apart. "I'm tending the bar tonight, anyway. I just came up here so I could let Zack in."

"Have fun," Zack told Tifa as she returned downstairs.

Cloud stepped back from Zack, looking him over. His already tanned skin had gotten a shade or two darker since his departure, thanks to the merciless sun of Mideel. Feeling a pang of jealousy, Cloud regarded his own skin. He quite literally paled in comparison to Zack now.

"So," Zack began, turning his attention to Cloud. "What are we gonna do tonight?"

"I didn't really have any plans, seeing as I didn't know you were back in town until about two minutes ago." Cloud slipped out of Zack's arms, making his way around to the couch and kicking back. "I was just trying to catch up on some paperwork from the delivery service. Been putting it off longer than I probably should have."

"You're being productive, good for you," encouraged Zack. "Do you need any help with that stuff?"

"I'm not gonna ask you to help me fill out forms, Zack." Cloud nudged him. "You just got back, surely you want to do something more exciting."

"Not really." Zack climbed off the side of the couch, taking a seat next to Cloud. "As long as I'm next to you, I don't care what we do."

"You're really too sweet, you know that?" Cloud stated, leaning into Zack and locking their fingers together. "If you really want to help me with the boring stuff, I guess I'll let you," he said, with false reservation. "Don't bore yourself to death for my sake, though. I really can do it on my own."

"Nope, we're doing this together," insisted Zack, hopping up from the couch and pulling Cloud to his feet. "C'mon. Show me what I need to do."

"If I'd known you were this excited about filling out papers, I'd have hired you by now," remarked Cloud, leading Zack to his room.

"Mm...having you as my boss," Zack mused as Cloud pulled an extra chair up to his desk. "That could be interesting." He grinned. "Always wanted an office with a view."

"You are _terrible_ ," Cloud chided in response to the cheesy joke. "I swear, I'll tell Rufus myself to send you back to Mideel."

"Sorry if that was a little over the top, Mr. Strife," teased Zack. "Do I have to call you that if you're my boss?"

"'Cloud,' when we're alone," Cloud corrected, shooting Zack a borderline suggestive look as he sat down. "Here, you can, uh...sort these. I'll take care of the rest," he said, gesturing to the papers haphazardly stacked on one side of the desk. "Those should all be either invoices or delivery reports. The reports can go in the filing cabinet in the drawer, which is sorted by client names. As for the invoices, they need to be mailed to clients. There's a box of envelopes in the middle drawer, and the stamp for our return address should be in the..."

Zack was only half listening to Cloud's instructions. He was paying enough attention to know what he was supposed to do with each type of document, but he was too busy watching Cloud give his orders to be totally focused. Zack was impressed with how organized Cloud seemed to be with his business; he'd expected something a little more haphazard.

"...and once you're done with those, set them on the dresser so I'll see them in the morning and take them out to the mailbox. Got all that?"

"You bet," Zack answered, although still admittedly a little preoccupied with staring at his desk partner. Grabbing the first paper off the stack, he skimmed its contents- it looked to be an invoice. Selecting a pen out of the cup Cloud kept on his desk, Zack took an envelope and wrote the client's address on the back, stamping the corner with the return address and, folding the document neatly, placed it inside. He pressed his thumb to his tongue, then ran it along the edge of the envelope so the glue would be sticky. Sealing the envelope, Zack looked up to see Cloud looking at him skeptically.

"Why didn't you just lick it?" Cloud asked.

"Two reasons." Zack held up a finger. "One, the glue on envelopes always tastes disgusting." He raised another finger. "And two, have you ever had a papercut on your tongue? Those little bastards hurt like hell."

"You make a fair point," Cloud decided, returning to his work.

The room was silent for a while, save for the quiet scratching of Cloud's pen or the shuffling of papers. As he worked, Cloud pondered his previous comment about hiring Zack. It really was just him- Tifa had her bar to look after, she was rarely available to help. Taking Zack on would mean seeing him more often, which definitely couldn't hurt, and-

"Were you serious earlier?" Zack asked, offhandedly. "About hiring me?"

Evidently, Zack had been thinking about the same thing. "I mean...I could use the help," Cloud admitted, not looking up from his paper. "I guess it's a serious offer, if you're interested. But you already have a job with Shinra," Cloud reminded him. "Would you be able to juggle another?"

"I'd make it work," Zack assured. "Plus, I'm sure you could use some time off. If I'm helping, you don't have to run around all the time anymore."

"That would definitely be appreciated." Cloud set his pen down, holding out a hand to Zack. "If you're one hundred percent serious, then consider yourself hired."

Zack gave Cloud's hand a firm shake, amused by his professionalism.

"Thank you...really." Cloud leaned over to give Zack a quick peck on the lips, caressing his cheek with the backs of his knuckles.

"This is a bit of an unorthodox business agreement," Zack commented, before kissing Cloud back. "I think that usually, you seal the deal with a handshake, then you're done."

"Who said this part was business?" muttered Cloud, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "That was strictly pleasure."

Zack's eyes met Cloud's for several moments, noticing the longing in his eyes for the first time. Realizing Cloud's intentions, Zack felt a rush of anticipation course through his body.

"I think I get where you're going." Zack rose from his seat. He wasn't expecting Cloud to follow suit, and he certainly wasn't expecting Cloud to pin him against the desk.

Quickly hiding his surprise, Zack spoke. "So, what now...boss?" he asked, with more than a little implication in his voice.

"Dammit, Zack..." breathed Cloud, sounding exhilarated. "You calling me that is way too gratifying."

"Sorry," apologized Zack, his mouth tilting into a crooked grin. "Guess you did tell me not to call you that when we were alone." He leaned his head forward so that his mouth was directly beside Cloud's ear. "And we're alone now, aren't we...Cloud?"

Zack felt Cloud shiver slightly at hearing his own name. "So," Zack began, tracing Cloud's jaw with his fingertips, "are we doing this?"

"Oh, we are _absolutely_ doing this." Cloud's hands dropped to Zack's waist. "It's been three and a half weeks, Zack. I need this...I need _you_."

"Couldn't agree more." Zack maneuvered out from between Cloud and the desk, hastily shutting and locking the bedroom door. "In hindsight, it was probably a bad idea...us having sex the night before I left. Made me want you like crazy ever since."

Cloud sat on his bed, waiting for Zack to make his way over. "I know," he admitted. "Doesn't mean I regret it."

Zack took a seat beside Cloud, letting him crawl into his lap. "I still can't believe we get to do this," he marveled.

"Crazy, right?" agreed Cloud, leaning in so his face was almost touching Zack's. "We, ah...went a little fast last time. I'm gonna try to slow this down."

"I'm down with that."

"Glad to hear it." Cloud slipped his fingers under Zack's shirt, slowly pulling it off and exposing his torso. He kissed Zack with true intent for the first time, starting with his lips and moving down his neck.

"Why'd you wait until now to do this?" Zack asked, head tilted back as Cloud's mouth skated along the line of his neck.

"Because my kid's around," Cloud reminded Zack, pausing momentarily. "Needed to give him some time to get somewhere else."

"Good point," agreed Zack, hands moving to grasp handfuls of blond hair as Cloud sucked at a spot just above his collarbone. He could tell from the amount of pressure that he was going to have a mark in the morning, and was somewhat thankful that any evidence of what he and Cloud were getting up to would likely be hidden by his shirt- not that he really minded. He just figured that Cloud would appreciate being spared the teasing.

Cloud lifted his head, brushing his thumb over Zack's lips. "Hey. Just...let me look at you," he whispered. "It's been too long."

Zack obliged, watching as Cloud gazed lovingly down at him. "It has," he agreed, catching Cloud's hand and gently pressing his knuckles to his lips.

"Let's get you out of this stuff," Zack suggested, halfway to feeling Cloud up under his shirt as he pulled it off. He exhaled in silent awe at the sight of Cloud's naked torso.

"You have a really nice body, you know," Zack informed Cloud, staring unashamedly. "Like...shit, Cloud, you're goddamn beautiful."

"That...really means a lot, coming from you," answered Cloud, clearly thrilled about being complimented in such a way. "Compared to you, I'm really nothing special."

"But you aren't me," Zack reminded him. "You're you, and I wouldn't take you any other way."

"Glad to hear it." Cloud reached for the button on Zack's pants, unfastening it as he kissed him.

Zack grabbed Cloud's waist, pushing their hips together and forcing a soft gasp out of the latter. Cloud slipped Zack out of his pants, setting them aside and gripping Zack's now-bare thigh.

Briefly, Zack felt Cloud's tongue swipe across his lower lip. Getting the message, he parted his lips slightly, enough so that Cloud could do as he pleased. Zack found himself impressed with how easily Cloud could get what he wanted without needing to say anything at all.

Feeling Zack's hold on him tighten, Cloud began softly grinding into him, just enough to get Zack worked up. He must have done enough, because he could feel Zack straining through the remainder of the clothes that they were wearing. Slowly, he eased Zack onto his back to make his work easier.

Cloud ducked his head, kissing Zack's neck, then down his chest and stomach, stopping at a spot just above his waistband. He stroked a slightly jutting-out hip bone with the back of his knuckles, feeling Zack shudder slightly at the proximity to the part of his body that currently needed the most attention.

"Don't worry," Cloud said, gently pressing his lips into the hollow of Zack's hip. "We'll get there soon enough."

Zack didn't protest. In response, he unbuttoned Cloud's pants, sliding them off so each of them were now only in their underwear.

"You left your stuff in the drawer from last time, right?" asked Zack, reaching out for the nightstand.

Cloud nodded. "Pass it over," he instructed, holding out a hand.

Zack spent a minute or two in agonizing anticipation as Cloud made the necessary preparations. Apparently noticing Zack's unease, Cloud spoke.

"You're getting antsy," he remarked. "You okay?”

"Don't get me wrong, going slow like this is nice, but..." Zack sighed in defeat. "A change in pace would be great."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Zack said, nodding far more enthusiastically than he had meant to. "Please."

Cloud laughed softly to himself. "I get it now," he said, unclear on what it was that he now understood.

"What's that?" Zack raised an eyebrow, curious.

"Back when we were in the military," Cloud began, "I used to hear some of the higher-ups call you 'the puppy' a lot. Makes sense- you're pretty good at begging."

Zack felt his face go hot at hearing his old nickname. "Come on, Cloud," he grumbled, embarrassed.

Cloud only grinned in response, inching a finger under the waistband of Zack's underwear and slipping it off. "So...like this?”

"Yeah, that's more like it," Zack agreed, his hands returning to Cloud's waist once more. "Hey," he said, suddenly.

Cloud was all ears, anxious to please.

"Come here."

And that was all it took. Cloud took a breath, then began slowly rocking into Zack- a steady, even pace, giving himself over to what he'd been itching to do most.

"That's the stuff," Zack murmured, his hands inching their way up Cloud's back. "I missed this."

"I did, too," agreed Cloud, his voice hardly more than a whisper.

Cloud's pace quickened in time with his own heartbeat. He felt Zack begin to tense more and more under him as he changed tempo.

"You have no right being so good at this," Zack pretended to complain, a hand slipping into Cloud's hair.

"Just doing what feels right," was Cloud's reply.

"Keep it up, then," Zack implored, desperate. "This all you got, though?" he asked, really only half joking.

"Not even." Cloud shook his head as best he could with Zack gripping his hair. "Starting slow, remember?"

"Right,” Zack recalled, suddenly letting out a sound of pleasure as Cloud moved _just_ so.

Cloud grinned in satisfaction, but quickly hushed Zack. "Careful," he warned. Speaking was beginning to be a bit of an ordeal for him, given how hard he was breathing. "Denzel's...still around. Don't want...him to hear."

"Sorry," Zack apologized. "Couldn't help it."

"I don't...mind it much,” explained Cloud. "Just...watch your volume...we're not...quite alone."

They continued as silently as they could manage for a while longer. Feeling Cloud's movement grow in intensity, Zack dug his nails into Cloud's skin slightly.

"Ah- Zack..." Cloud whined softly in response, but kept his volume well below a level where anyone would hear beyond the locked door.

Cloud reveled at the undeniable flush in Zack's cheeks, at the way his mouth hung slightly open. He couldn't resist bringing a hand up to stroke Zack's face, a tender moment amidst the obscene.

"Come on, come on," pleaded a panting Zack, snapping Cloud out of his reverie and pinning the two of them closer together. "A little more."

Desperate to meet Zack's demands, Cloud picked up a furious pace that nearly left him winded. He felt Zack's fingernails dig even deeper, holding him as tightly as he could without restricting Cloud's movement entirely.

"Fuck, you're so good," Cloud heard Zack murmur, his tone husky. Zack's grip on him had grown painfully tight and Cloud could tell that he likely wouldn't last much longer.

"You need to come?" asked Cloud. Simple question, obvious answer.

"Yeah," was all Zack had to say. "You?"

Cloud nodded, a little more urgently than he'd intended. "Together?" he proposed.

"You got it," agreed Zack.

Cloud repositioned slightly. He rolled his hips downward- once, twice, three times- and just like that, he and Zack were both spent, reduced to sweaty, panting messes. He felt Zack's whole body tremble under him, riding out the wave of euphoria he'd just experienced.

Zack realized how tightly he had been holding Cloud and let go, noticing that he'd broken skin on Cloud's back. He lightly brushed his fingers over those areas, a silent apology.

At the same time, Cloud was collapsed, totally still, onto Zack's chest. He was completely blissed out, thoughts too hazy to form words yet. He just lay there, breathing heavily, waiting until he could regain some kind of awareness.

Cloud lifted his head, finally breaking the silence. "Three and a half weeks," he began. "Three and a half weeks, and all I could think of was being with you like this again."

"Hope I lived up to your expectations," Zack commented.

Cloud shook his head. "Better. You're always better."

Zack cracked a smile, tilting Cloud's head down and kissing him. "Glad to hear it."

Cloud rolled onto his side, letting Zack be free of his dead weight. He nestled up beside Zack, who turned over to face him.

"I know I said it already, but I missed you," Zack said, sincerely.

"You've been back all of half an hour, and here we are, in bed together." Cloud nudged Zack in the ribs. "Think it's safe to say I missed you too."

Zack draped an arm around Cloud, running his knuckles down his back. "It's good to be back."

"So, what are your plans for the rest of tonight?" Cloud asked. "It's still early, we could do something if you want to."

"Mm..." Zack pondered for a moment. "We don't have to do anything special. As long as I get to be with you, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"Positive." Zack ruffled his fingers through Cloud's hair. "For now, just lying here and talking to you is enough."

"We can stay here a while, if that's what you want," Cloud assured. "I don't know about you, but I could still use some time to catch my breath."

"Maybe a little bit," Zack admitted.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," Cloud insisted. "I know how it was with you SOLDIERs- you've got insane stamina." He grinned. "You're not tired at all."

"Okay, you got me," confessed Zack. "But I'm still gonna let you rest. Take your time, yeah?"

"I will." Cloud's tone dropped. "I'm not opposed to more of...this stuff later."

"Is that so?" Zack's interest was piqued. "I'll keep that in mind."

The two of them ended up retiring to the kitchen for most of the night, chatting with Denzel until he went to bed. Tifa made an appearance at one point, bringing with her a bottle of wine. She spared a few moments to drink with Cloud and Zack before returning to her duties downstairs.

One glass of wine turned into two, then three, and before either of them realized it, both Zack and Cloud were hopelessly drunk and giddy and practically falling all over each other. They were hardly able to make it back to Cloud's bedroom without a sufficient amount of swaying and stumbling, but by some miracle managed to get there without incident.

Drunken kissing led to touching which brought on a round of fumbled lovemaking and soon Zack and Cloud were in nearly the same position as they had been hours before, only less sober.

In his current state, Cloud found himself extremely fascinated by the scars that populated Zack's chest and stomach, littering his skin like constellations. Making that connection, Cloud began to trace paths from one to another.

Zack shuddered a bit, snickering. "Careful, Spike," he warned. "I'm ticklish."

"No way," Cloud responded in disbelief. "So...you mean I can't do this?”

He ran his knuckles over the inside of Zack's arm, getting his hand smacked away as he did so.

Zack grinned. "You might be my boyfriend, Cloud, but don't think that'll save you from getting your ass kicked if you try that again.

Cloud, still inebriated, took that as a challenge, and prepared to launch a full scale assault on Zack, finding himself pinned before he could do anything.

Zack clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Told you not to try it."

Cloud's mouth tilted into a grin. "Love you too," he said, leaning his head slightly forward. "Kiss me?”

Zack gave in, fulfilling Cloud's wish.

Neither of them slept until late into the night. They were busy making up for lost time, reacquainting themselves with every inch of each other.

"Zack?" Cloud said, after a long period of silence. He wondered if Zack would even still be awake to respond.

There was a muffled sound from the other side of the bed. Cloud accepted that as his answer.

"Don't...don't leave me again."

Zack held Cloud tight. "I won't," he muttered, nuzzling Cloud's head with his own. "Not if I can help it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didn't mean for, er...two of These Chapters in a row, but it be like that sometimes i guess
> 
> now that this chapter is posted i actually have up through chapter 21 mostly written so expect more regular updates for this! i've got a good idea of how i want to end it and i hope i can get to that point.
> 
> it's been almost a year since i started writing this fic and i still love my boys with all my heart, i hope to be able to give them the ending they deserve.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack brings back some old memories.

"Brought you something."

Zack, who had just arrived essentially unannounced, seated himself at the kitchen counter, laying down two large envelopes as he sat.

Cloud, curious, wandered over, standing on the opposite side of the counter. "What's that?" asked Cloud, gesturing.

Zack's expression revealed nothing. "See for yourself,” he said, sliding an envelope across the counter towards Cloud.

Hesitantly, Cloud opened it up, reaching inside and feeling around. The first thing fished out was a small plastic card, and as he examined it, his jaw dropped. "Zack...?" he began. "Is this...?"

Zack nodded. "It's your old Shinra ID card."

Cloud stared at the picture of himself printed on the card, at all of fifteen years old. He hadn't noticed how much his face had changed in the last several years, but looking at his ID, Cloud noticed a few differences. His face wasn't as round anymore, and his hair was much shorter now than it was when the photo was taken. His eyes, of course, were different, too- a bluish gray, like the color of the sky after the sun had just set, yet untainted by mako.

"How the hell did you get this?" asked Cloud in disbelief.

"I did some poking around in the old archives," explained Zack. "Was sorta surprised I was able to find your file. Thought they might've ditched it since they had us listed as 'killed in action.' Oh," he added, "there were also some things labeled 'personal effects.' Looks like stuff you might've had in your bunk after they cleared it out. You should take a look."

Skeptical, Cloud picked up the envelope, shaking its contents out onto the counter. Along with some boring-looking official Shinra documents, there was another smaller envelope with "PERSONAL EFFECTS" stamped on it.

Cloud tore open the envelope, and nearly dropped it in shock. Peeking out at him from inside the envelope was a face he hadn't seen in years- his mother's. She looked the same as she had the day he'd left for the infantry, all warm smiles and soft blue-gray eyes that matched what used to be his own. The photo, he distantly recalled, had been taken by a friend of his mother's. Judging by how he looked in the picture, Cloud figured he couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen. He touched the photo's glossy surface, a rush of emotion threatening to overwhelm him.

Steadying himself, Cloud placed both palms on the countertop.

Zack stood, concerned. "Are you okay?" he asked. "What's in there?"

Cloud swallowed, feeling a lump forming in his throat. "It's...my mom," he said, voice wavering slightly.

Zack rounded the counter, making his way to Cloud's side. "Hey, hey," he said, gently. "I'm sorry...I didn't know what was in there. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, I'm not- I'm...happy, Zack," Cloud assured, blinking back the tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he smiled. "I'm really, really happy. I haven't seen my mom's face in so long...I was starting to be afraid that I'd forgotten it."

Zack placed a hand on Cloud's back, comforting him. He reached out with the other, brushing a tear off Cloud's cheek. "You look so much like her," he observed, pulling the photo out of the envelope. "Guess I know who to thank for your good looks."

The comment was met with a soft jab in the stomach from Cloud. "I used to hear that all the time. Although, Mom always thought I looked like my dad. Which...if this is the stuff I kept in my bunk, there should be a picture of him in here too."

Cloud shuffled through the contents of the envelope, pausing when he found a particular photo. "This one," he said, laying it on the counter for Zack to see.

The picture showed a man kneeling, playing with a blond toddler that was undeniably Cloud. The man had darker hair than Cloud and his mother and had brown eyes instead of blue, but his face looked so much like Cloud's at the age he was now that there was no denying this man was his father.

"Gods, look at you," Zack breathed, fondly. "You're so damn cute. And chubby," he added. "That's adorable."

"I grew out of that by the time I was like, six," Cloud informed Zack.

"Yeah, and you sure filled out," Zack agreed, cupping a hand around Cloud's upper arm. "Look at you now, Muscles."

Cloud rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

The two thumbed through the other couple of pictures in the envelope, with Cloud explaining each one as Zack commented on them.

"Hey, I almost forgot," Zack said suddenly, reaching into his back pocket. "I have a picture for you, too. And Tifa, I guess. Is she here?”

"She's down the hall," Cloud told him. He turned his head in the direction where Tifa was. "Hey, Tifa?" he called.

Tifa appeared a few moments later. She regarded Zack with a wave. "What's up?" she asked, heading to the counter where the other two were standing.

"Got something for you guys," Zack said, fishing the photo out of his pocket and placing it on the counter.

In the photo was a sixteen-year-old Zack, stance wide, arms crossed, and sporting a signature boyish grin. Beside him was Tifa at fifteen, wearing an oversized hat and steadying it on her head with one hand. And on the right, towering over them both, was Sephiroth.

Cloud felt a twinge of hatred deep in the pit of his stomach at seeing the man who had once been his idol. It was only a photograph, but even a still image of Sephiroth had the cold, demanding presence of the real thing.

Cloud felt a chill run down his spine as he looked into the piercing blue eyes of the man dressed in black. "So this is the real one,” Cloud said, offhandedly.

Tifa nodded, but Zack seemed confused."The real one?" he repeated.

"Back when I was...messed up," Cloud began, for lack of a better term, "I knew that this photo was taken, but I thought that it was me in it, not you." He looked closer. "This is Nibelheim," he observed. "Right before the incident."

"The day before," Zack confirmed. "It's sort of unbelievable, how this guy could do that much damage." He jabbed a finger at the Sephiroth in the photo.

Tifa spoke up. "I have a solution," she said, picking up the photo and, to Zack and Cloud's surprise, tearing it. The picture was now in two pieces; one containing Zack and Tifa, and the other Sephiroth.

Tifa set down the part with herself and Zack in it and set about ripping Sephiroth's portion into as many pieces as she could. "Much better," she said, brushing the ripped pieces into her hand and throwing them in the trash.

Zack and Cloud nodded their agreement.

"Oh, before I forget," Zack interjected, picking up the second envelope, "I asked my mom for some pictures of me, too. Since we talked about it before, y'know. So she sent me a couple." He grinned at Cloud. "I'm sure you're dying to see."

"You bet." Cloud took the envelope from Zack, shaking out its contents onto the counter. He was greeted by a bright-eyed, round-faced boy with short black hair looking up at him.

"Man, you've got to be the most photogenic kid I've ever seen," Cloud told Zack, rifling through more photos and grinning at one of Zack with his front teeth missing. "Hold on, did you have brown eyes?"

"Used to," Zack confirmed. "Before the procedure, y'know. I used to hate them...now I almost miss them."

"I think blue suits you, too," Cloud assured, examining another photo. Zack was sitting on his father's shoulders in this one, laughing joyfully as his mother looked on. Both of Zack's parents, now too grey to tell, shared the same raven hair that he had. They really did look tremendously alike.

"I like this one," Zack said, pushing a picture towards Cloud. In this one, Zack looked to be a preteen, holding a practice sword and wearing as intimidating an expression as he could muster. Scrawny as he was at the time, it was quite humorous to see Zack trying to act scary.

"Gaia, that's hilarious." Cloud showed Tifa, who Immediately began laughing.

"It is pretty funny," Zack agreed.

"Hey," Cloud said, picking up the photo of Zack with missing teeth. "You mind if I keep this one? It's really cute."

"Sure, I don't mind." Zack nodded. "We should all take a picture together sometime."

Tifa and Cloud voiced their agreement.

* * *

A few days later, as Cloud was getting into bed, he noticed the picture frame now placed on his bedside table. Picking it up, he noticed it was the picture that they had all taken in the living room on the day they had exchanged photos. Tifa must have had it framed and given it to him as a surprise.

Cloud examined it, his expression soft. Marlene was happily being held by Zack, with the latter sporting a smile threatening to split his face in half. Denzel was holding Tifa's hand, and Zack had his free arm around Cloud's waist, who was in the middle of it all...smiling.

Before Zack came, Cloud hadn't often had many reasons to smile. But now, his reasons to smile were all around him, immortalized under the glass of the picture frame. He smiled as the realization came that this was a family photo.

Zack was family now. He was here to stay, and there was nothing changing that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a couple weeks but i'm slowly working on posting the backlog of chapters i have written so bear with me
> 
> on another note i want to dedicate this chapter to seashores because it's their birthday!!! happy bday i'm glad this fic enabled me to get to know you ♥️


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack has some news. it's less than ideal.

"Will you come over tonight?"

Cloud was expecting some kind of greeting when he answered the phone, but Zack seemed desperate to get his question out.

"I...I mean, I probably can," Cloud answered, slightly disoriented. "Is something wrong, Zack?"

"Nothing's wrong...just got something I wanna talk to you about. So, what do you say? Meet up at my place and go out somewhere for drinks?"

"That's fine by me." Cloud pulled his phone away from his ear, glancing at the time. "When do you want me? I'm out on a delivery, but I can probably get cleaned up and over to yours by eight or so."

"Eight sounds good," Zack decided. "See you then. Love you."

"Love you too," Cloud replied, and disconnected the call.

* * *

 

Cloud made his way into the lobby of Zack's apartment complex as eight o'clock rolled around. He found Zack already there waiting for him, which was good, because Cloud didn't have a key to use the elevator.

Zack stepped forward, pulling Cloud into a hug that was tighter than usual. Something was definitely not right, but knowing Zack, he would refuse to say anything until they got where they were going.

Testing that theory, Cloud spoke as he and Zack broke apart. "So what is it that you wanted to tell me?" he asked.

"Uh-uh. Not until we're out of here."

So I was right, Cloud thought. He's not gonna talk after all.

Zack followed Cloud out to where Fenrir was parked, hopping on the back and securing his arms snugly around Cloud's ribs. Cloud didn't let Zack see, but he smiled to himself as he started up the bike. The feeling of Zack riding behind him was always comforting.

Cloud made his way to the bar that Zack had texted him directions to about an hour previously. He parked his bike, giving Zack a chance to get off before hopping off himself.

He brushed Zack's hand lightly as they walked inside, a motion that usually prompted Zack to hold Cloud's hand. But this time, Zack was unresponsive. Determined nonetheless, Cloud took Zack's hand anyway, trying not to show that he was slightly hurt by Zack's apprehensiveness.

A waiter came along to show the two to a table. Zack squeezed Cloud's hand lightly as they pulled apart to sit, which made Cloud feel better about Zack's previous reluctance.

"Something's up with you," Cloud stated, not bothering to mince words. "No more shooting the shit. What's going on?"

Zack sighed, and opened his mouth to speak. "Rufus is relocating me."

"Relocating?” Cloud felt his heart sink, but tried to remain hopeful. "Where to, Kalm? Junon? I know Shinra's been up to some stuff in both places lately."

Zack shook his head disdainfully. "Mideel, again. Shinra's people down there liked the work that me and the other guys there did, so they want to keep us there full-time." He stared at the table, not meeting Cloud's eyes. "It's better pay, and a hell of a lot more rewarding than just being Rufus' personal lackey."

He paused his explanation as their waiter returned to the table to take their drink orders. After the waiter was on his way, Cloud spoke.

"Is moving out there what you want, or what Rufus wants?” he asked. "You don't have to let him tell you anything."

"I...think I do want this, Cloud," Zack said, quietly. "I'm as surprised as you are, but I really liked the work I was doing down there. Much better than the stuff I'm stuck doing here most days."

"I just want to make sure that this is entirely your decision," Cloud explained. "Rufus might be your boss, but he doesn't own you. You're allowed to tell him no."

"I know that."

Another pause as the arrival of drinks interrupted the conversation.

Zack took a swig of the beer he'd ordered. "I've actually known about this for a couple of weeks now. The people in Mideel got in touch with me and asked me if I'd like to go back there to stay a few days after I came back here to Edge. I told them I would get back to them about it. I figured that I wouldn't bother telling you unless I was actually serious about going, and it's looking like I am."

"I mean...I'm happy for you, if this means a better job," Cloud replied.

"You don't have to lie," Zack told him. "If you're upset, I understand."

"No, I really am happy for you," assured Cloud. "It's just...you'd be so far away."

"They told me I'd be able to have time off every other weekend," offered Zack. "I know it's not much, but it's something...and it sure beats not seeing you at all."

"Things wouldn't be the same without you," Cloud said, somberly.

"Cloud, you don't have to hide that you're upset about this," Zack told him. "I get where you're coming from...and don't think that I'm not going to miss you, too."

"I don't want you to miss out on this opportunity just for my sake." Cloud drummed his fingers on the table, trying to think of what to say next. "But at the same time...I need you, Zack. I don't know if two days a week every other week, maybe less, is gonna cut it for me."

"Are you even willing to try?"

"I..." Cloud hung his head, frustrated. "I don't know. I just...I don't see it working out well." He took a moment to sort his thoughts before he continued.

"You remember how we got when you came back from Mideel?" Cloud asked. "Like we couldn't stay off each other? I don't want our time together to be just that. I want to be able to take my time with you...I feel like if we have so little time together that that's just not gonna happen."

"You don't know that," Zack said, clearly hurt. "And...if you don't mind my saying so, all I've heard you talk about is how this is gonna affect you. You don't think this would mess with me too?”

"Zack," Cloud began. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Maybe I was wrong about this whole situation," Zack continued. He was mad, that much Cloud could tell, and he hated himself for being the one to make him angry. "I thought that you'd at least be willing to give this thing a shot, but it sounds like you're giving up before you've even tried."

"You're not listening to me," Cloud shot back. "That's not what I said."

"Well, you're not listening to me either, Cloud." Zack crossed his arms. "It doesn't seem like you even want to make this work."

"Maybe I don't, if you're going to be an ass about it," snapped Cloud.

"You're making a scene," Zack pointed out. "People are staring."

"I really don't fucking care, Zack," grumbled Cloud, lowering his volume to at least spare himself the humiliation of being watched. This was a private matter, not public entertainment.

"Yeah, that much I can tell."

Cloud had finally had enough. "I think we're done here," he said, getting to his feet.

"Where are you going now?"

"Anywhere but here," snarled Cloud, abandoning his drink, and Zack, as he stormed out of the bar.

The ride back to 7th Heaven seemed to take much longer than usual. When Cloud finally arrived back home, he made the mistake of checking his text messages. Sure enough, there was one from Zack.

 _I shouldn't have expected that much of you after all. Oh, and thanks for leaving me without a ride. And with the bill_.

Angered, Cloud hammered out a "fuck off" in response and stormed inside, surprised to find Tifa waiting for him at the top of the stairs.

Tifa seemed surprised to see him as well. "You're home early," she commented. "I thought you were out with Zack."

The mention of Zack's name snapped something inside of Cloud, and he turned to Tifa, a helpless look on his face.

"I fucked up," was all he said, his voice breaking slightly on the last word. "I really, really fucked up, Tifa."

He retreated to his room, closing the door harder than necessary. Throwing himself facedown into his bed, he let all his pent-up anger out, choked sobs muffled by his pillow.

There was a knock on the bedroom door. "Cloud?" he heard Tifa say. "What the hell happened?"

No response.

"I'm coming in, okay?”

After Cloud offered no objection, Tifa opened the door, sitting beside Cloud and placing a hand on his back. She felt him shaking underneath her hand, and took pity on him. "Tell me what happened."

Cloud rolled onto his side, still facing away from Tifa but no longer having his voice muffled by his pillow. "I think...I think I just lost Zack."

"What on the gods' green earth did you do to make you think that?" Tifa asked, beginning to rub soothing circles into Cloud's back.

"I...he's got a new job, it's far away, and I'd hardly get to see him, and you know I'm no good with distance...I was so scared of losing him to this new job that I could only think of how much it would affect me and not what a great opportunity it is for him, and gods, Tifa, I ditched him at a bar and told him to fuck off and he's probably never going to talk to me again and-”

"Shh." Tifa squeezed Cloud's shoulder. "Slow down. I don't think Zack's the unforgiving type. Give him a while to cool off, then apologize. And if he's got any common sense, he'll come around."

Cloud took a deep breath. "Thanks, Tifa." He turned over so he could face her. "I just...I can't lose him. Not again. I already did once, and you saw what that did to me."

"You're not losing him," assured Tifa. "Besides, you know I'm always available to knock some sense into him," she said, cracking her knuckles.

Cloud managed a weak smile. "You're the best."

Tifa nodded. "Don't you forget it." She tried to stand up, but Cloud caught her arm.

"Stay a while?" he requested.

Tifa smiled softly. "Sure."

To Cloud's surprise, Tifa lay down next to him, reaching out to ruffle his hair. He closed his eyes, relaxing.

He must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew, he was waking up, with Tifa now asleep beside him.

Still craving the comfort of her presence, Cloud moved over closer to her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling the two of them close together.

Tifa stirred at the contact, surprised at the position she now found herself in. She hadn't seen Cloud be this clingy with anyone but Zack in years. Nevertheless, she appreciated the gesture, and tucked her arms up against Cloud's chest, making herself comfortable.

"Hey, Tifa?" Cloud called as he brushed the hair out of her face.

"Mm?"

"Thank you."

Tifa smiled. "Any time."


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cloud owes zack an apology, and is desperate to get it across.

"Hey, it's me. Just wanted to say...I'm sorry. About everything. I was stupid to act the way I did, and I hope you can forgive me."

* * *

 

"It's me again. I get that you're mad...you have every right to be. But can we please talk about this? It's not like you to ignore me. So just...please...call me back. It'd mean a lot to hear from you."

* * *

 

"Zack...it's been days now. I know you're getting these messages, and I'm starting to wonder if you're ever going to talk to me again at this point. I guess...if you don't...I would understand."

* * *

 

"Please answer me. Please."

Zack had been replaying Cloud's voicemails for the last week or so, trying to figure out how to respond to them, or if he even should. Talking to Cloud was about the last thing he wanted to do right now- especially since their last real back and forth communication had ended with Cloud telling him to fuck off.

But looking back on the last night they'd been together, Zack knew deep down that he'd been in the wrong, too.

He hadn't expected Cloud to react well to the news that he was moving, but Zack had it in his mind that he would have been a little more keen on trying to keep their relationship going. Cloud hadn't seemed interested at all in the prospect of long distance, and while Zack desperately wanted the job, he wasn't too sure about the idea of a long distance relationship himself. He was just too physical for something like that to ever work out, and it had taken him this long to admit that to himself.

Zack knew Cloud was hurting, but he didn't know how to help. It was growing closer to his time to leave with each passing day, and in the fragile state their relationship was in, Zack wasn't sure there was a whole lot he could do.

Maybe they were beyond saving.

He wanted to fix this, he really did. But if neither he nor Cloud would be able to get by seeing each other so much less, would it really matter?

Zack sat down on his bed, among piles of his belongings that he'd been trying to pack away. He put his phone back in his pocket, trying to think of other things, but it was no use.

 _Guess this is it,_ then, he thought.

* * *

 

Cloud had long since given up on hearing from Zack.

He'd been as patient as he could during the first week. The second week, he began to grow desperate, and now, halfway through the third week, he'd taken it upon himself to go see Zack. Zack could ignore as many calls as he wanted, but it would be significantly harder to ignore Cloud with him actually there.

Since it was still daylight, the apartment complex required no keycard for entry, so Cloud made his way inside easily. He waited inside the lobby as nonchalantly as he could for someone to use the elevator, and followed the first person he saw using it inside.

Cloud pressed the button for the second floor, taking the brief ride in silence and exiting as the doors slid open once again. He walked towards the end of the hall with purpose, counting door numbers until he reached the one that he recalled to be Zack's.

Steeling himself, Cloud raised his fist to knock- three short raps that seemed to echo down the long hallway.

He waited a minute or so, with no response. Knocking once again, it occurred to Cloud that Zack may have still been at work. He pulled out his phone, noting that it was not yet six o'clock and that Zack probably wouldn't be home for another half hour or more.

 _Well, I got this far,_ Cloud told himself. _I'm not quitting now._

So he sat, leaning against the door with his knees drawn up to his chest, waiting anxiously until he finally heard footsteps down the hall.

Turning his head and feeling a wave of dread, Cloud looked to see who was coming, only to find that it was just one of Zack's neighbors. He sighed, a little relieved. He wasn't exactly looking forward to the coming confrontation.

About ten minutes afterward, Cloud heard a set of familiar footfalls making their way towards him. He looked up once more, and saw that this time it was indeed Zack, who didn't notice him outside his door until he was about halfway down the hall.

He stopped. "Cloud?”

Cloud got to his feet, offering an awkward wave.

Zack approached Cloud, hands in his pockets. "How'd you even get up here?”

"I got in the elevator when someone else used it," Cloud explained, flatly.

"Clever, I'll give you that." Zack tilted his head slightly to one side. "So...why are you here?"

"I think you know why." Cloud folded his arms across his chest. "We need to talk, Zack."

Zack sighed. "I don't think there's anything left to say."

"Then let me say something." Cloud took a deep breath before speaking again. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah." Zack tapped the toe of his work boot onto the carpet. "I know you are. You wouldn't be here otherwise."

"I know I made an ass of myself back then," Cloud admitted. "I... don't know what got into me. I shouldn't have said that stuff, I know this is a big opportunity for you, and that you were excited about it, and-”

"Hey." Zack cut Cloud off. "Let's take this inside."

He unlocked his door, holding it open for Cloud and following him inside.

"I'm sorry," Cloud repeated. "I really am. Can you forgive me for that stuff?"

"Cloud." Zack softened for the first time since he had arrived. "I'm not...mad at you anymore. That stuff you said- I know you didn't mean it."

"Yeah...I didn't. I think...I think I was just scared."

"What were you scared of?" asked Zack.

"Losing you, I guess." Cloud shifted his weight. "I've...been thinking about it a lot lately, and... maybe it would be better for us with this whole job situation if we were just friends...for right now, at least. I'd rather do that, if it means you're still a part of my life."

"As much as I hate to say it, I've been thinking the same thing."

Cloud felt as if a weight had been lifted, now that he'd gotten that off his chest. "I know. It sucks, but..." He trailed off. "I love you, Zack, but I don't think that this is the right time for us."

"I...yeah." Zack fidgeted with his hands. "I think you're right. Let's give this some time to blow over."

"So...friends?”

Zack offered Cloud a smile- the first one he'd seen in weeks. "Friends."

He pulled Cloud into a hug, unexpectedly. It was the first time that Cloud had felt Zack's touch since the night of their fight, and it took everything in him not to fall apart at that simple contact.

Gods, this was worse than when Zack left the first time. So much worse.

Cloud closed his fists around handfuls of the fabric of Zack's shirt, breathing him in. As he did so, Zack slowly ran his hands up and down Cloud's back, eventually coming to rest at his waist.

Friends hugged, sure, but this definitely didn't feel like a friendly hug. There was something more, a lingering and desperate longing from both parties involved. Neither of them seemed to be able to let go.

"Hey...Zack." Cloud lifted his head from Zack's shoulder after what seemed like forever.

Zack met his eyes. "Yeah?" he asked, still keeping his hold on Cloud, without any apparent intention to let go.

"Can we...can we forget what I said about only being friends for just one minute?”

Zack seemed confused, knitting his brows together. "What do you mean?"

"It's stupid, but..." Cloud shook his head. "I know that I shouldn't, but all I can think about right now is how badly I want to kiss you."

"I think I can spare you one minute," Zack agreed, cupping Cloud's jaw with his hands and kissing him, hard.

Cloud's hands wound themselves into Zack's hair, his breath catching in his throat when he heard Zack make the tiniest sound of pleasure. He'd been craving this for weeks now, and couldn't get enough.

Zack broke away for a moment, briefly meeting Cloud's eyes, then thought better of it, pressing his lips against Cloud's once more. It was as if he was breathing him in with each move, and even after the many days they'd spent apart, Cloud was still a high like no other.

Cloud felt Zack tense and realized he was pulling his hair without meaning to. He mumbled a quick "sorry" between kisses, opting to drape his arms around Zack's shoulders instead.

He broke away after several more moments, his head still cradled in Zack's hands. "I'm sorry," he began. "If I don't stop now, I know I'm not going to want to."

Zack brushed his thumb across Cloud's cheek before letting his hands fall to his sides. "Probably for the best, then."

"I... really needed that," Cloud continued. "I know I'm making things weird, I just...needed that closure."

"Yeah. I think I did too." Zack slipped his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels.

"I should go home," Cloud decided. "I'm intruding anyway...the sooner I leave, the better."

"Thank you," Zack said, plainly. "For coming, I mean. We needed to talk about all this shit, and I don't think I would've had the guts to confront you about it."

"Don't mention it." Cloud turned towards the door, looking over his shoulder. "See you soon?”

"Count on it," Zack assured. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Spike."

Hearing Zack adopting the nickname once again made Cloud feel much better. He smiled. "Bye."

The words "I love you" caught in his throat before he could say them, more out of habit than anything.

_Right. Can't say that now._

Trying not to let that fact sting, Cloud walked out the door.

He was so deep in thought that he hardly registered walking down the hall and getting in the elevator. He had already exited the lobby and mounted his bike before he paid much attention to what was happening around him, the familiar roar of Fenrir's engine bringing him back to reality.

 _I didn't lose him,_ Cloud thought as he sped down the street _. I was so afraid to, and I didn't. At least, not entirely._

_We aren't together anymore, but at least we're still friends. That's really all I can ask for right now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double posting again woo! i've been busy with school and work lately but i still have a backlog of a couple chapters to post so i'll try to space those out. thanks for sticking with this fic!


	19. Chapter 19

Cloud seated himself at the bar of 7th Heaven, waiting for Tifa to finish serving her other customers before she made her way over to him.

"Hey," she greeted, carrying a stack of empty glasses with her. "Where have you been?”

"Zack's," Cloud told her, simply.

Tifa leaned forward onto her elbows, resting her chin in her hands. "I didn't think you guys were talking. Did you make up?"

"In a way."

"You know I'm not gonna let you get away with being vague," Tifa advised. "Spill it."

"Well...we broke up, for starters."

Tifa softened. "I'm sorry, Cloud," she said. "I can't imagine how you must feel. But," she continued, skeptical, "that doesn't sound very much like making up."

"We _did_ make up," explained Cloud. "We just...need some time, I think. He's stressed about the job, and I want to give him some time on his own, but..."

"That's not what you really want, is it." Tifa rounded the bar, since there were no customers sitting there at the moment, and seated herself beside Cloud. "Cloud, I know how much he means to you, but I also know how much you mean to him. And if he loves you as much as I think he does, he'll make this work."

"That's...good to hear." Cloud managed a smile. "I'm trying to stay hopeful, but...I just don't know, Tifa. Distance...isn't good for me. You know that from a year ago- it messed me up, being away from you and everyone else so much."

"I know." Tifa crossed her legs. "Who's to say that this break'll last forever?"

"I...really hope it doesn't." Cloud shook his head. "Zack's my best friend, before anything. I feel like I'm losing that part of him, too. I don't want to have to be away from him like this."

Tifa smiled. "I don't know if I've ever seen a person as hopeless over someone as you are, Cloud. I can only hope that someday I'll find someone who thinks as highly of me as you do of him."

"You know, I'm not sure if Zack and I would have even dated if it wasn't for you," Cloud told Tifa. "You were the one who made me realize that I was even interested in him in the first place."

"I know." Tifa seemed proud of herself. "I'm determined not to let my efforts go to waste here."

"I'll make you proud, then," Cloud assured.

"Happy to hear it." Tifa stood. "Cloud?" she said, before returning to her post behind the bar.

Cloud looked up at her. "Yeah?"

"Keep your chin up," Tifa advised. "If it's meant to be, it will be. It might take some time, but I don't see you guys being apart for good."

"Thank you. I...I'll try." 

* * *

The next couple of weeks went by fairly smoothly for Cloud, with frequent visits from Zack. It seemed that the two of them had nearly adjusted to the idea of just being friends, and while it was strange, Cloud enjoyed it.

Zack was back to his usual self- the only real difference was that he was far less touchy now than he had been when he and Cloud were together.

Slowly but surely, Cloud was learning to do without Zack.

It might've been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do.

Zack was his anchor, the one thing that had brought him back when he'd felt himself slipping again. But knowing that he would have to be on his own far more often soon, Cloud was beginning to put space between himself and Zack, to soften the blow of Zack's coming departure.

Cloud missed the warm feeling that had been ever present when he was with Zack. That feeling had fizzled out shortly after their relationship ended, and had left Cloud with an emptiness inside that he couldn't quite parse. It was like there was a wall between them now, too tall to climb and too sturdy to break through. Unless something changed, it seemed as if that wall would never come down.

Cloud wondered if things would ever be the same between him and Zack. Right now, the odds certainly weren't in his favor. Zack knew him like no one else ever had. Their military days largely contributed to that- it was Zack who'd been the one to look after Cloud when the two of them were in hiding, Zack who had made sure Cloud, addled with mako poisoning, was safe, spending many a sleepless night on watch duty.

You couldn't exactly move on from the person to whom you owed your life, Cloud figured. Even if he and Zack had never been romantically involved, Cloud would have felt a strong attachment to him, almost out of obligation. He guessed that Zack felt the same. He would have just left Cloud behind if he didn't significantly care for him.

It would have been far easier to put distance between himself and his would-be captors without the deadweight of a catatonic cadet to lug around. If it weren't for Cloud, maybe Zack would have made it back to Midgar, instead of being gunned down on a cliff.

Cloud still felt a twinge of guilt every time he thought of Zack's so-called death. As such, he figured that he was almost obligated to remain close to Zack, as a way to show thanks.

The more he thought about it, the more Cloud realized just how deeply his ties to Zack ran- and the harder it would be for those ties to dissolve.

At least that was reassuring. 

* * *

Zack sat alone in his apartment, trying to find the motivation to gather up some more of his things. His scheduled departure was growing closer by the day, and he was nowhere near done packing.

The longer Zack spent thinking about it, the less he wanted to leave. Sure, he wanted the job, and he definitely could use the money. But Zack was beginning to doubt whether or not it was worth uprooting his life just for a little extra gil.

Zack didn't really feel any sort of loyalty to Shinra- unsurprising, considering the company had tried to have him killed. He only worked for Rufus out of convenience, and because of the protection they'd provided him the past couple of years as he recuperated. His only tie to the city of Edge was Cloud. That tie had grown significantly weaker since their breakup, as Zack no longer felt an absolute obligation to be near him. He still wanted to spend time with him, of course, but now that their relationship had been put indefinitely on hold, Zack was still struggling to find the line between what was acceptable and what wasn't.

Zack wasn't used to rejection. He'd managed to charm his way into the hearts of everyone he'd ever gone after- which could have just been lucky, he considered, since his total number of significant others was a whopping two. Either way, it was strange to be pushed away in the way that Cloud was doing.

Zack figured he probably didn't realize it, but Cloud had become apprehensive around him in the last couple of weeks. It was likely just his way of preparing to part with Zack for a while, but it still stung a little.

Now that he was a bit older, Zack had a word for the driving force behind his decision to keep Cloud with him back when they were on the run, for whatever it was that had made him so desperate to ensure Cloud's well-being.

The word was _love_.

At the time, Zack thought he knew what love was all about. He'd been seeing Aerith back then, before he and Cloud had been taken. He thought loving someone meant going on dates, buying gifts, and everything else that came with it. He realized later on that loving someone could also mean carrying them on your back when they were unable to go any further, keeping them warm and dry when bad weather came through, sacrificing sleep to keep watch, and so much more.

Zack knew now that he loved Cloud- he always had. Maybe he hadn't necessarily been _in_ love with him the whole time, but his feelings towards Cloud had been strong from the start, and still were. There was no way Zack would be able to live his life without Cloud- they were simply bound together.

Their breakup had never been about the fight. Rather, it was a way for both Zack and Cloud to deal with having to be apart for extended amounts of time. And even though Zack had agreed to break up, he still had lingering feelings for Cloud.

Zack figured Cloud still had feelings for him too, given the way he'd kissed him the day they'd broken up. That kiss had more fire to it than any they'd shared before, if only because Cloud probably feared it could be their last.

It wouldn't be their last, Zack hoped.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud comes to see Zack off.

On Zack's last night in Edge, Cloud came to see him.

He was a little surprised to get the phone call, asking to let him up. Zack had long since planned on dropping by 7th Heaven before he left, so he could spend a bit of time with Cloud, Tifa, and the kids, but Cloud had beat him to it.

"It's good to see you," Zack said, as he and Cloud got in the elevator. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Why wouldn't I come to see you off?" asked Cloud. "It's your last full day here, of course I'd want to spend some time with you."

Zack smiled, but offered no comment. He and Cloud remained silent as they continued to Zack's apartment.

"Did you have anything in mind for us to do?" asked Zack, as he unlocked his door. "I'm not really in a position to entertain, since most of my stuff is packed away."

"Just wanted to spend some time with you." Cloud shrugged. "What we do doesn't really matter."

Zack made his way to the sofa, kicking back. Cloud followed him over, sitting in a chair opposite Zack.

"You've been sort of quiet," Cloud observed. "Is something up?"

"I...yeah, you could say that."

"It's okay to be upset about leaving," Cloud assured. "It's a big change, and I'm sure it's hard for you to-"

"Cloud." Zack cut him off.

"Sorry...if you don't want to talk about it, we can talk about something else."

"No, it's not that, it's just..." Zack hesitated. "I...I changed my mind. I'm not going after all."

"You're...not moving, then?" Cloud clarified in disbelief. "You've been planning for this for almost two months now, Zack, and you just decided to drop everything and not go?"

"I did some soul-searching," Zack explained. "Thought about what it is that I really want, and what I think is best for me. And after all that thinking, I decided that maybe Shinra isn't worth my time anymore. Sorta surprised it took me this long to realize that, seeing as this is the same company that tried to have you and I killed."

Cloud nodded, understanding. "They haven't exactly been good to you."

"Don't get me wrong, there have been some good things about it. The Turks- they saved my life. Kept me safe these past three years, too. And Rufus- although he can be an asshole- he's not all bad. He's helped me get where I am now, but..." Zack took a deep breath. "I think it's high time I moved on from Shinra."

Cloud was quiet, considering Zack's decision. After a few moments' silence, he spoke. "I'm proud of you," he said, simply. "It takes a lot of guts to shoot down someone like Rufus. Especially as big a job as this one is. It's good that you're making your own decisions, Zack."

"I'm...glad you think so." Zack fidgeted with the arm of the sofa. "I was afraid you'd be mad at me."

"Zack..." Cloud began, his tone softening. "I'm not mad. I'm happy for you. But...what are you gonna do, now that you're out of a job?"

Zack pretended to consider. "Y'know, I seem to recall a certain someone offering me a job a while back. Just never had time to properly accept it since I've been so busy." He grinned. "Maybe I'll ask him what he thinks."

Cloud was surprised. "You mean it?" he asked. "I could definitely use the help, and we could get you started right away."

"Sure, why not?" Zack suddenly grabbed Cloud, pulling him into a headlock and messing up his hair. "Nothing I'd love more than working for my best friend."

Cloud struggled, although he knew Zack was stronger than him and that he wouldn't escape easily. "Hey, cut it out," he complained, but he was unable to hold back a smile.

Zack released him, attempting to sort out his hair to its original style. "There is...one problem, though," he informed Cloud.

"What's that?"

"I can't live here anymore," Zack explained. "This is just a housing facility for Shinra employees, so if I'm not with them anymore, I'm getting kicked out."

"So...what do you plan on doing?" asked Cloud. "7th Heaven's door is always open to you. If you need a place to stay a while, I'd be happy to put you up."

"Cloud..." began Zack. "You've done so much for me already. I can't ask you to do that."

"We've got the space," assured Cloud. "Plus, if you're planning on working for me like you say, it'd be easier if we lived together, right?"

"I mean...I suppose so." Zack shrugged. "I just don't want to be a burden."

"Zack...you could never be a burden." Cloud softened. "I promise, it's no big deal. At least until you can get back on your feet again?"

"If you're sure, Spike," Zack decided. "Thanks a bunch. You're too good to me."

"Don't mention it." Cloud smiled. "You know I'd do anything to help you, right?"

"Yeah, I do." Zack returned Cloud's smile. "You're sweet."

"Don't you forget it." Cloud pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Let me make sure it's okay with Tifa- although I can't imagine her shooting you down." He flipped through his contacts until he found Tifa's number, then called it.

She answered after two rings. "Hey," she greeted. "What's up?"

"I've got some good news," Cloud informed her. "Zack's staying here after all."

"He is?” asked Tifa, excitedly. "Cloud, that's great news! I'm glad to hear it."

"Yeah, me too," agreed Cloud. "Only problem is, since he's leaving Shinra, the company won't let him live where he's at anymore. Do you suppose we could put him up for a while?"

There was a short silence, accompanied by Zack waiting in anticipation.

"I...don't see why not," decided Tifa. "I'd be happy to help him out."

Zack exhaled in relief as Cloud spoke. "Figured you wouldn't mind."

"Thanks for checking anyway," Tifa said. "Anyway, I have to go. I'll see you later."

"See you later," Cloud repeated, then hung up, getting to his feet.

"If you want, we can move some of your stuff over in the morning," he said to Zack. "I only have the bike right now, so it wouldn't be very useful for this sort of thing."

"Sure." Zack stood. "A lot of this stuff isn't mine, anyway. My stuff's mostly just clothes and all that."

"That'll make things easier." Cloud approached the door. "Can I just meet you back here tomorrow?"

"That's fine," Zack decided. "That'll give me some time to gather things up here."

"Whatever works." Cloud opened the door, stepping out into the hall. "I'll call you in the morning when I'm here so you can let me up."

"Sounds like a plan."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm gonna be double posting again as i've been super busy and i'm almost caught up to everything i have written so far...gotta get back on the grind for some new chapters now


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zack spends his first night at 7th heaven. it goes a little differently than expected.

"We don't have an extra bed at the moment, so I was just gonna take the couch," Cloud told Zack the following evening when he arrived. "Figured you'd be more comfortable in a real bed."

Zack shook his head. "I'm not kicking you out of your own room. It's no big deal, really. I'll sleep on the couch if I have to. You're already nice enough for letting me stay."

"I want you to be comfortable while you're here," insisted Cloud.

"You know," Zack suggested, "we could always share."

The thought hadn't occurred to Cloud. Sure, it was possible, but it might be a little strange given their situation.

"I mean...I guess that's a possibility." Cloud folded his arms across his chest.

"I was actually joking," admitted Zack. "But I mean, if you're okay with it...it's nothing we haven't done before," he reminded Cloud. "As long as you don't hog the blankets like usual, I think I'd be fine with that arrangement."

"Hey, now." Cloud nudged Zack. "At least I don't snore like you do."

"Big tonsils, man," Zack offered in defense. "Can't help it."

Cloud rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I guess that's settled. If you're gonna be staying in my room, we can move your stuff in there."

"Won't it get in your way?"

"Nah." Cloud dismissed the thought. "I'm used to clutter. It won't bother me."

"All right, then."

They spent the better part of half an hour unloading Zack's belongings from the delivery truck and moving them to Cloud's room. The effort tired them out enough that they decided to leave the unpacking for the following morning and turn in early for the night.

Cloud crawled into bed after he and Zack were finished, scooting over to give Zack some space. Zack followed after him, pulling the covers up around himself and Cloud as he lay down.

Zack let out a sigh. "I forgot how comfortable your bed was," he commented. "I swear, some of the best sleep I've ever gotten has been here."

"That's why I wanted you to be the one to sleep here," Cloud explained. "I want you to feel at home here."

"Trust me, I do." Zack stretched as if to prove his point. "Well, I'll let you get some rest. It's been a long day."

"Yeah," agreed Cloud. "Night, then."

Zack didn't close his eyes just yet, though. He lay awake for some time, staring at the ceiling, with Cloud's slow, even breathing the only sound he could hear.

He rolled onto his side, now facing a sleeping Cloud. He watched him for a while, charmed by how peaceful Cloud looked as he slept.

_Gods, I could kiss him right now._

The sudden thought left Zack stunned. They were just friends now, he wasn't supposed to be thinking things like that anymore. But the desire was undoubtedly still there.

Zack pushed the thought out of his head, but was still entranced by the fact that he and Cloud were in a position very similar to one they had been in several times in the past.

He dared to move closer, doing so slowly so as not to wake Cloud. As he did so, Zack noticed that one of Cloud's hands was lying near him, outstretched.

On impulse, Zack closed his own hand around it.

Cloud made a small sound as he stirred, opening his eyes just enough to see Zack's caught-in-the-act expression. He closed his eyes again, tucking his arms in toward his chest and taking Zack's hand with him.

"You could have just asked," he mumbled.

"I didn't want to wake you, so- wait, really?"

Cloud nodded. "I don't mind."

Zack was surprised. "I just figured since-"

"Shh." Cloud tugged his arm. "Get over here."

So Zack obeyed, moving in Cloud's direction. To his surprise, Cloud pulled the two of them close together, wrapping his arms around Zack.

Zack followed suit, cradling Cloud's head in the crook of his neck. He heard Cloud sigh, feeling his breath on his skin.

This was good. This was so, _so_ good. Having Cloud in his arms again, like nothing had ever changed- it was the best sensation Zack had experienced in nearly two months.

He hugged Cloud tight, as if he would disappear if he let go. For all Zack knew, he might never get a chance like this again.

That prospect was terrifying.

So Zack took it all in, every inch of his skin that was touching Cloud like a live wire. He nudged a knee between Cloud's thighs, further intertwining their bodies. He was aiming for as much physical contact as possible.

"Is this...allowed?" Zack asked, tentatively.

"I'm allowing it, aren't I?" Cloud offered a smile. "Don't think about it too much. I don't mind being like this as long as you're comfortable with it."

"I...I am, yeah." Zack swallowed as he felt Cloud hold him a bit tighter. "Not like we haven't done this before."

Silence fell upon the room after that exchange, disturbed only by quiet breathing. Zack remained hyper-aware of the warm weight in his arms, pressed up against his body. He did his best to try and calm down enough to sleep, but to no avail.

After lying there for what must have been hours, Zack felt Cloud stir, wriggling his way out of his arms so that he could look him in the face. "Hey, Zack," he whispered, softly. "You awake?"

"Mm- yeah," mumbled Zack, a little startled. "What's up?" he asked, making eye contact with Cloud.

"I..." Cloud began. "I'm really glad that we can be friends after what happened, but..."

"But?"

"Zack, I don't think...I want to be friends anymore.

Zack was momentarily confused, but eventually caught Cloud's drift. "You mean...?"

"Yeah." Cloud nodded. "Enough pretending. It's getting exhausting."

"Agreed," Zack seconded. "Then...can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

"I never...stopped loving you, Cloud," Zack admitted. "Not for one second. Pretending that I wasn't still head over heels for you...that's the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Cloud was quiet for several moments, which made Zack anxious. He'd just laid himself completely bare to Cloud- what if Cloud didn't share the same feelings?

After an extended silence, Cloud spoke. "If _that's_ the hardest thing you've ever done...then you must be pretty serious about me."

"I am," Zack assured. "You're the best thing I've ever had, Cloud. Losing you was rough on me."

"You never did."

Zack was confused. "I didn't?"

Cloud shook his head. "I never stopped loving you, either."

Zack felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest. He was so thankful to hear that Cloud felt the same, he could hardly contain himself.

"So, then," began Zack. "What now?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea," answered Cloud.

He brushed his thumb across Zack's lips, tilting his chin downward as he did so.

"Can I...?" Cloud asked, looking at Zack intently.

Zack caught the hand that currently rested on his cheek, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Go ahead."

So Cloud leaned in and kissed him, as tentative and nervous as he had been the first time he'd done so.

Zack was quick to return the kiss, leaning into it ever so slightly. He was being as careful as Cloud was, for fear of ruining the moment.

They broke apart after a second or two, staring at each other in wonder. It had been weeks since they had done anything remotely romantic- including the post-breakup kiss in Zack's apartment- and they both found themselves starved for such affection.

"It feels like we're starting over," Cloud said, tracing the back of Zack's hand with his thumb.

"Nah," disagreed Zack. "We're just picking up where we left off- that's all."

"Maybe so," Cloud considered. "Zack...?"

"What's up?"

"Would you mind...if I kissed you again?"

Zack gave a quiet laugh in response. "You don't have to ask," he answered, tilting his head to give Cloud easy access.

He stroked Cloud's hair as they kissed once more, savoring the nearly-forgotten sensation.

"I love you," Zack whispered, an old promise made new again.

"I can't even tell you how much I missed hearing you say that." Cloud smiled. "I love you too."

Zack pressed Cloud's knuckles to his lips. "You're the reason that I didn't- no, _couldn't_ leave," he admitted. "Being with you...that's more important than anything to me. I don't think I could live without you." He paused. "Been trying to this past month or two, and...well, you see how that's worked out."

"Yeah, that didn't go over well, did it," agreed Cloud, considering their current situation. "But...you're sure about all this? You really chose me over everything?"

"Cloud," Zack began, firmly. "I'd choose you over anything in a heartbeat. You...you're everything to me."

"Even after all that's happened?"

"I'm not worried about that stuff." Zack pushed a lock of hair out of Cloud's face. "It's in the past. We both said some stuff we didn't mean before...it happens. Everyone fights sometimes."

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you," apologized Cloud. "I knew better."

"Hey, it's okay." Zack softened. "As long as I have you back, that's all that really matters."

"I didn't...want to break up with you," explained Cloud. "I guess I just did it so it could be my choice, and not because we fell apart later."

"I get it," assured Zack. "And maybe...we did need a break- at least, at the time. I think we're better for it."

"You left me once," said Cloud. "I'm not sure I could handle a second time."

"You won't have to." Zack kissed Cloud's forehead. "I'm gonna do everything I can to keep us together," he vowed.

"You're sweet, Zack." Cloud squeezed Zack's hand. "Gods, sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am to even know you...much less be dating you." He paused. "Are we...?"

Zack raised an eyebrow. "Are we what?"

"Dating, I mean." Cloud looked away. "After all, we did both just realize that we still liked each other, so we might as well be...right?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Zack's mouth. "Don't tell me this is your way of asking me out."

"I guess so." Cloud looked helpless. "So...what do you say?"

"I'm just messing with you," Zack assured. "You know I could never shoot you down."

"I'm glad." Cloud wrapped his arms around Zack, pulling him as close as he could. "I've missed this so much."

"Me too." Zack grinned. "Think that I gotta love on you a little extra to make up for the time we lost."

Cloud snickered. "Go right ahead."

Zack indulged himself, covering Cloud's face in kisses. By the time he was satisfied, he and Cloud were both laughing.

Cloud cradled Zack's head in his hands. "My turn," he said, simply.

He kissed Zack, starting at his mouth and working his way out to his jaw, then moving slowly down his neck.

In one swift movement, Zack pulled Cloud on top of him, leaving himself pinned.

Cloud noticed that Zack's shirt had been pushed up slightly when he'd been pulled on top of him. He crawled backward, settling on his new target and pressed his lips gently into the exposed skin of Zack's stomach.

Zack reached out for Cloud, bringing a hand to his chin and lifting it so the two of them could see eye to eye. "Tell me what you're thinking," he requested.

"I'm thinking...about you," Cloud answered, after a short pause. "About how much I missed being with you."

"That so?"

Cloud sat up. "And I think I've wanted you just about forever."

Zack sat himself up, draping his arms around Cloud's neck. "That might be the best thing you've ever told me, Spike."

He kissed Cloud's forehead, smiling. Cloud responded by scooting forward, straddling Zack and feeling a pair of hands creeping up the backs of his thighs as he did so.

Getting the hint, Cloud grinned. "Considering that you're halfway to groping my ass, it seems like you wanna take this a little farther."

"I- yeah," admitted Zack. "But only if you do, too. It's been almost two months since the last time we had sex, you know. I'm down for it if you wanna give it a go."

"I think I can indulge you." Cloud leaned in to kiss Zack. "Hope you aren't out of practice," he teased.

"Now that sounds like a challenge," Zack answered, easing Cloud onto his back and preparing to begin.

They went slowly as they began to undress each other, rediscovering their bodies like it was the first time they had seen each other in the nude. Cloud was still taken aback by Zack every time- his broad, sculpted chest, taut stomach, toned thighs...it was all Cloud could do not to lose himself at the sight.

Zack, careful to make the most of their second first time, as it were, was as gentle with Cloud as he had been during their first time together. He took care to meet all of Cloud's needs, wanting their experience to be as good as possible for him.

Cloud was still in awe of how Zack knew exactly how he liked to get off. The reverse was true, as well. Zack had had a rather meaningless fling or two in the time before his return to Cloud's life, but no one could quite satisfy him like Cloud knew how to do.

The two spent a decent amount of time just taking it slow, catching up with their need for intimacy. After an extended period of careful lovemaking, the two finally began to wind down. As much as they had missed a physical relationship, it was getting late, and they were both growing tired. The moon was low in the sky before they were finished, spilling pale light over their bare bodies.

"Hey, Cloud," Zack called out, as the two of them were attempting to catch their breath.

"What's up?" Cloud crawled off of Zack and lay down beside him. His face was still flushed with exertion- to Zack, it looked as if he were blushing, which he found to be rather endearing.

"I have this idea," Zack began, pulling Cloud up against himself as he spoke. His chest was damp with sweat, but Cloud did not resist since he was in a similar state. "Not to...rush things or whatever, but what if when I get a place of my own, you came with me? Since we'd be living together anyway here, I mean. It'd be less of a burden on Tifa and the kids."

"Zack, you're not a burden," assured Cloud, caressing Zack's face as he spoke. "You can stay as long as you need."

"Thank you, but I'm determined not to overstay my welcome," Zack dismissed. "So, how about it? You wanna come with me?"

"I think I might like that." Cloud smiled. "I haven't lived anywhere besides here in a really long time, so it would take some adjusting, but..." He snuggled up closer to Zack. "As long as I'm with you, I think I can do just about anything."

"Sweet of you," remarked Zack. "Only problem is, I'm a little short on gil at the moment, so it might take me a while to scrape together the cash I need."

"Don't sweat it," Cloud assured. "I have more gil than I know what to do with. I can cover it."

"You do?" Zack nudged Cloud. "Didn't know you were a rich boy."

Cloud shrugged. "I had a bunch of old mastered materia laying around that I had no use for anymore, so I sold it. Apparently, that stuff's pretty valuable."

"Hey, if you want to cover my expenses, that's on you," decided Zack. "I sure as hell won't stop you. But I'm going to bust my ass working as soon as I can so I can pitch in, too."

"Fine by me." Cloud began to absently play with Zack's hair, smoothing over some tangled bits that were left over from his hands being wound into it. "We'll get you started with work as soon as possible."

"I can't believe this is actually happening," marveled Zack. "I get to live with you, Cloud. How great is that?"

"I couldn't think of anything better."

Zack reached over to ruffle Cloud's hair. "It's sure been a hell of a night, Spike."

"That's an understatement," replied Cloud.

"We're gonna have a lot to explain to Tifa in the morning," he reminded Cloud.

"You mean, if she didn't already hear what we got up to, loudmouth." Cloud's expression was playful. "I'd say you need to work on your volume, but if we're going to be living alone, it seems like there won't be anyone around to overhear."

"You know, you're absolutely right." Zack gave Cloud a look that was more than suggestive. "Can't wait to see what that's like."

"Fuck, you can't tease me like that," complained Cloud. "Now that's all I'm gonna be able to think about."

Zack snickered. "Something to look forward to with the new place, yeah?"

"You better believe I'm looking forward to it." Cloud draped his arms around Zack's neck, leaning in to kiss him gently. "It's late, Zack. We should sleep."

Zack pulled Cloud in tight. "Probably so," he agreed.

He brushed his lips over Cloud's ear as he whispered "I love you."

Cloud closed his eyes, smiling blissfully. "Love you too. 'Night."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'VE BEEN WAITING TO POST THIS FOR SO LONG I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT AAAAAAH


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tifa discovers the nature of cloud and zack's relationship over breakfast.

Tifa was stirred from her slumber by a voice- no, two voices coming from the kitchen. Quickly remembering that Zack was now a guest in their household, Tifa decided to get up and bid him and Cloud good morning.

She left her room and followed the sound of Zack and Cloud's voices as she made her way down the hall. Once she got to the kitchen, Tifa was greeted with an interesting sight.

Cloud appeared to be making coffee, which would have been a normal enough sight had Zack not been up against his back, with his hands on Cloud's hips, resting his chin in the mess of Cloud's bedhead. The two appeared to notice Tifa's presence at the same time, and their expressions quickly changed to that of two people who had just been caught red-handed.

Cloud quickly turned, slipping out of Zack's arms. "Morning," he said, awkwardly. He felt his face growing hot.

Tifa crossed her arms, a grin forming across her mouth. "Do you two have something you want to tell me?"

Zack looked sheepish, which was rare for him. "We...were taking a break. Break's over, I guess...?"

Tifa laughed. "I'm not mad, guys. I was just a little surprised to find you all up on each other, since the the last I knew you'd broken up."

"We did some talking late last night," explained Cloud. "I guess we both kinda realized that we were faking the whole 'not being into each other' thing, and just decided to be done with it, y'know?" He shrugged. "Have you ever tried pretending not to like this guy?" he asked, as Zack snickered. "I think it's damn near impossible."

"It's good to see you two back together," Tifa said, with a soft expression. "I always hoped you'd be able to work things out."

"Thanks for rooting for us," Zack told her, with genuine gratitude.

He resumed his previous position as Cloud set about preparing his coffee.

Tifa couldn't help but smile as she watched Zack plant a kiss on the top of Cloud's head. _They're really in love, huh,_ she thought.

The three of them set about getting breakfast ready, with Denzel joining them just as they were sitting down to eat.

"So, where did you end up sleeping, Zack?" asked Tifa, taking a bite of the toast she had prepared for herself.

"Oh." Zack seemed taken aback by the question. "Cloud and I, we, uh...shared," he explained.

"Only because he refused to let me sleep on the couch," Cloud informed her. "And I wasn't about to let him sleep there, either. Besides, it's nothing we haven't done before."

He realized what he'd alluded to as soon as the words left his mouth, and was immediately mortified. Zack had been good about sneaking around when he'd spent the night before- he would always leave before anyone would be awake to discover him. Now Cloud had essentially informed Tifa that he and Zack had slept with each other at least once.

Tifa raised her eyebrows high enough that Cloud thought they might migrate to her forehead.

Cloud's face went red enough that he was sure it matched the t-shirt he was wearing.

Zack shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

Denzel, blissfully unaware, took a heaping spoonful of cereal and crunched away happily.

"I...I see," Tifa said after a period of silence, covering her mouth with her hand to hide her grin. "I mean...as long as you guys are comfortable with that. If not, we could always find another bed for Zack somewhere."

"Actually, that brings up another point." Zack looked at Cloud, and when he nodded, continued speaking. "I'm gonna be looking for a place of my own, so you don't have to worry about putting me up for an extended period of time."

Tifa nodded. "Don't feel like you have to rush. You're welcome here as long as you need to stay."

"You're the best, Tifa." Zack paused. "But...Cloud and I talked about it, and we were actually thinking of moving in together. So when I go, he'd go with me."

"You're leaving?" asked Denzel, suddenly sad.

Cloud was touched. "Not really, buddy," he assured. "I'll come over as much as I can, all right?"

Denzel seemed convinced. "Promise?"

Cloud reached across the table, holding out his pinky and locking it with Denzel's. "Promise."

Zack and Tifa exchanged a look of endearment at Cloud's gesture.

"If that's what you want, Cloud, then by all means go for it," permitted Tifa. "But I'll hold you to that promise."

"I couldn't live without you guys," insisted Cloud. "You know I'll be around."

"Glad to hear it," Tifa said, smiling.

The four of them continued eating, making small talk over the breakfast table. Cloud couldn't help but feel a dull ache at the realization that the days where they could eat together like this were now numbered.

He would miss Tifa and Denzel terribly, but he also knew that they would be within reach whenever he needed them.

Tifa, Cloud and Zack remained at the table as Denzel put his breakfast dishes in the sink and set about starting his day.

"It's gonna be lonely without you around," Tifa said, addressing Cloud, but extending the sentiment to Zack seeing as he'd essentially made their home his home as well. "It feels like I've lived with you my whole life."

"Well, we did grow up together," Cloud reminded her. "Seriously, though, don't worry. I'm sure Zack and I will be here as much as we can- plus, everyone knows there's no better place in Edge to go for drinks than 7th Heaven."

Tifa seemed to swell with pride. "You got that right," she affirmed. "You know you're always welcome here."

Zack thanked Tifa warmly as she got up from the table. "You've been so good to me since I've been back," he said. "I owe you big time."

Tifa shook her head. "You don't owe me anything. As long as you keep taking good care of Cloud, that is." She turned to Cloud. "I'm really happy that you two made things work. I've never seen two people happier with each other."

Zack and Cloud looked fondly at each other as Tifa spoke. "Guess we're determined to keep it that way," he told her, tilting his head down to press a kiss to Cloud's temple.

Smiling, Tifa made her way to the door that led downstairs. "Well, I've gotta get the bar ready for the day," she said as she turned the doorknob. "See you two later," she called over her shoulder.

Cloud waved goodbye, then turned to face Zack. "So, what's the plan for today?" he asked, prodding Zack's chest as he spoke.

"I was thinking we could do lunch?" Zack shrugged. "I haven't taken you on a proper date in months, it'd only be fair."

"That sounds good to me." Cloud draped his arms around Zack's neck. "Wanna take the bike?" he asked.

"Oh, hell yeah, I wanna take the bike," Zack answered, full of enthusiasm. "I've missed that thing. Not as much as the pretty boy who rides it, though," he added, with a grin.

Cloud smiled to himself. "Well, after last night, I think a shower is in order," he told Zack, breaking away from him.

"Mind if I join?" Zack asked, his tone playful.

Cloud grinned. "Maybe if you can get there before I lock the door," he challenged, and darted off down the hall towards the bathroom.

Zack sprinted after him, easily catching Cloud as he was about to grab the handle. He picked Cloud up, throwing him over his shoulder and laughing as Cloud struggled.

"Let me down, asshole," Cloud said through his laughter. "You win."

"That's what I like to hear," Zack said, letting Cloud back down. He pretended to think. "Now, what was our deal again?"

Cloud crossed his arms. "Hey, I only said maybe," he reminded Zack.

"You're not really gonna say no to me, are you, Spike?" Zack asked, pretending to pout.

Rolling his eyes, Cloud shut the door, locking it behind himself. "I'm just playing," he said, grinning. "You can stay."

Zack made a show of pumping his fist in victory as Cloud turned the water on, undressing himself. He set out two towels from the cabinet before he stepped into the shower.

Shortly after, Zack joined him. The two got busy washing each other's hair, with Zack attempting to form Cloud's into interesting shapes as he did so.

Nothing beyond actually showering happened between the two of them, save for the occasional kiss. They were focused on getting each other clean, not getting each other off.

As Cloud rinsed the last remnants of shampoo from Zack's hair, he spoke. "Six months ago, I wouldn't have ever pictured myself being where we are now."

"Has it been six months already?" Zack asked, impressed.

"Mmhmm. I can't believe it either."

Zack turned, giving Cloud the same treatment he'd just been given. "Six months," he repeated. "Maybe the best six months of my life."

Cloud's eyes closed as Zack's hands worked at his scalp. "Agreed," he said. "You know...about a year and a half ago- I almost died. I'm...glad I pulled through...if only so I could meet you again."

Zack's motion paused. "What happened a year and a half ago?" he asked.

"It was the stigma," explained Cloud. "I had it, Denzel had it...gods, Zack, I ran off to die like a dog, and..."

He cut himself off, not wanting to distress Zack. "Sorry," he muttered. "Didn't mean to get so serious all of a sudden.  What I'm trying to say is...I think there's a reason I didn't die then. Something was telling me that it wasn't my time. I think...it was you. You're the reason I made it."

Zack understood. "I get it...really. I should have died before, too, but...I didn't. I think I was supposed to meet you again, too."

Cloud smiled, though Zack could not see since he was facing away from him. "Guess the universe might be in our corner, after all," he said.

Zack kissed Cloud's neck, just below his hairline. "Guess so."

 


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cloud takes zack out for his first day on the job.

Cloud hurried down the steps of 7th Heaven with Zack following close behind. "You ready for today?" he called to Zack as they exited the stairwell and crossed the bar to the back door.

"I was born ready," confirmed Zack, paired with an enthusiastic nod. "Can't wait for you to show me the ropes."

Cloud dug his keys out of his pocket as he and Zack made their way to his truck, already loaded up with the goods they were to be delivering. He quickly unlocked it, hopping inside and starting it up.

He pulled a slightly rumpled-looking piece of paper from the console, examining it for a moment. "Looks like we're headed out to Kalm today. You up for the drive?"

"Could be farther." Zack shrugged. "It's fine by me."

"Glad to hear it." Cloud picked up the paper again, studying it further. "There's a couple in and around town first, though. Wanna do those first?"

"Sure, why not?"

"All right then." Cloud shifted out of park and the two were soon on their way.

"So how does this all work, anyway?" asked Zack, fiddling with his seat belt.

"I'm sort of a middle man," Cloud explained. "People pay for their goods, they get sent to me by suppliers, I bring the goods to the customers. Mail service in Edge and the surrounding areas isn't very reliable yet for much more than paper mail, so some people like to go through private providers like me instead."

"Sounds like you've got pretty decent job security," remarked Zack.

"Decent enough." Cloud nodded. "A lot of my clients are repeat customers, so if anything I have them."

The two talked logistics for a few more minutes until they reached their first stop.

Cloud parked in the alley next to the building to which they were delivering, hopping out of the truck and grabbing a clipboard out of the backseat as he did so. After giving it a quick once-over, Cloud set the clipboard down on the driver's seat and climbed into the bed of the truck to grab the appropriate parcel.

Zack, making his way to where Cloud was, found a decent sized box thrust into his hands as soon as he approached Cloud.

"This is the one," Cloud told him, jumping out of the truck bed and back onto the ground. "Looks like today's gonna be an easy day delivery-wise."

He began heading towards the entrance of the building, with Zack close behind. Cloud suddenly remembered that his clipboard had been left on his seat, so he made a quick trip back for it and quickly returned to Zack's side.

Cloud knocked on the door, fishing a pen out of his pocket as he waited for a response. Before long, a middle aged man with a kind face answered the door.

"Always a pleasure, Cloud," the man said, noticing Zack. "New help, I take it?"

Cloud nodded. "This is Zack. He'll be working for me for a while."

Zack shifted the package in his hands so that it was tucked under one of his arms, extending a hand to his and Cloud's client.

The man took it, shaking it firmly. "Good to meet you, son. I expect I'll be seeing a lot of you- I'm a bit of a regular of Cloud's."

Cloud passed his clipboard and pen to the client, waiting as he filled out the necessary forms. Once he finished, Cloud motioned for Zack to hand over the parcel he was holding.

Zack was given a sincere "thank you" as he did as he was told. He thought he noticed some gil exchanging hands as he turned to leave, but he couldn't be sure.

"I'll be seeing you boys soon," called the man as the two of them headed back to the truck. Zack waved, offering his trademark grin as he walked away.

"Nice guy," commented Zack as he climbed into the truck with Cloud.

"He is, isn't he," agreed Cloud. "His name's Edgar- he's a small business owner and he asks me for supplies every so often. And," added Cloud, patting his pocket, "he's a good tipper."

"That's always a plus."

"Yeah, it helps with travel expenses." Cloud started up the truck, looking over his shoulder as he backed out of the alley. "Most of my tips go to gas and all that. Since I basically work for myself I don't have anyone to reimburse me for it, so I gotta cover those costs myself."

Zack chatted with Cloud as they drove to their next couple of destinations, introducing himself to each new face he met. Cloud was impressed at Zack's ability to charm all of his customers in only a few short words.

 _I should've hired him sooner_ , Cloud thought to himself. _He's great for business._

"Well, that's our last stop in Edge," Cloud informed Zack after the third delivery. "Are you hungry? We could grab a bite to eat before we head out to Kalm."

"Yeah, I could eat," Zack decided. "Anything in mind?"

"Whatever we find, I guess."

They ended up settling on a small pizza place on the way out of town, one that neither of them had been to before. Since Edge was still largely under construction, there were new buildings popping up frequently, so it followed that there were many places Cloud and Zack had not yet visited.

Cloud seated himself at a booth, letting Zack take his turn at the buffet first. Zack returned a minute or two later with enough food for both of them and then some.

"It's beyond me how you can eat as much as you do," Cloud commented. "I don't understand how you keep your figure like this."

"Fast metabolism," Zack explained, halfway to stuffing his face. "It's a SOLDIER thing. Although- mine was like that before. I think the procedure just amplified the effect."

"Makes sense," replied Cloud, getting up to retrieve his own food. He returned before long, noticing that the drinks they ordered had been brought out.

"So, what do you think of your new job?" Cloud asked as he seated himself once more.

"I like it," Zack said, plainly. "The clients seem nice, and the work's not too bad. I like my boss a lot, too," he added, earning an eye-roll from Cloud.

"I'm glad you're enjoying things," Cloud told Zack, sincerely. "My clients love you already, I can tell."

"You think so?" Zack asked, picking a string of cheese off the slice of pizza he was holding.

"For sure," confirmed Cloud. "You're just...friendly. People want to be around you... they always have." He smiled. "I should have hired you sooner. You're helping promote business for me."

"Glad you think I'm useful," Zack said, snickering. "But yeah, I'm really enjoying this stuff.

"I've needed the help for a while," Cloud informed him. "Just never knew who to ask."

They finished their lunch quickly for the sake of the long trip ahead. It was an uneventful journey, but rewarding all the same- Cloud got paid, and Zack got some on-the-job experience.

Zack managed to stay awake the whole way to Kalm and back, if only to keep Cloud alert through conversation. It was late by the time they got back to Edge, and both of he and Cloud were thoroughly tired by the time they made it back to 7th Heaven.

He made small talk with Tifa at the bar for a while, giving Cloud an opportunity to get ready for bed. When Zack finally retired to Cloud's room, he found him in bed, already passed out for the night.

 _Long day, huh,_ he thought.

As carefully as he could, Zack crawled into bed with Cloud, pulling the covers up around both of them. He pressed himself up against Cloud's back, wrapping an arm around him and softly kissing the back of his neck.

Cloud stirred at Zack's touch, rolling over onto his back. "Zack?" he mumbled, stretching.

"Didn't mean to wake you," apologized Zack. "You can go back to sleep."

Cloud nodded, yawning and turning onto his other side so he was facing Zack.

"Thanks for your help today," he mumbled.

"Hey, don't mention it," Zack told him, gently rubbing up and down Cloud's back. "I had a good time. I'm excited to be working for you."

"Glad to hear it," answered Cloud, offering a sleepy smile. "It's good to have you."

"Gotta say, you're the best boss I've ever had," remarked Zack.

"I sure hope you like me better than Rufus," returned Cloud.

"No question," confirmed Zack, grinning. He planted a kiss on Cloud's forehead. "And I'd much rather kiss you than him," he added.

Cloud wrinkled his nose at the thought. "Gods, could you imagine?" he said.

Zack snorted. "I'd rather not, actually."

"You have a point." Cloud closed his eyes. "I'm going back to sleep," he decided. "I'm exhausted."

"Sweet dreams, Spike," Zack told him, ruffling his hair. "Love you."

Cloud mumbled something that might have been "love you too," and was silent.

Zack placed one last kiss on the top of Cloud's head, closing his own eyes.

Some nights, sleep came easily to Zack. Other nights, not as much. But the nights when he had Cloud curled up at his side- those nights were when it came easiest.

He reminded himself that soon, that would be every night.

And he couldn't wait.

 


End file.
